Ten Eighty Trees are a Newcastle-based alternative rock trio who we’ve been covering here at York Calling since around this time last year. They’ve just released a new EP which, across five tracks, explores how dark times can lead to creation. It’s called Maybe I Like The Misery.

By Graeme Smith

That may sound pretty heavy, but there’s a lighter side to the Ten Eighty Trees outlook. The title of the EP is a reference to a line that housekeeper Mrs. Doyle delivers in Father Ted when presented with the idea that a machine will take the misery out of making tea for her, and Ten Eighty Trees powers through the emotion of each track with their own brand of energetic rock.

It all starts with tale of unreciprocated love Running Back 2 U. It opens with a bright, echoing guitar riff and a tempo that will have you up out of your chair. The vocal delivery is expressive and right on brand for an indie rock band, especially when backed with the “whoa-a whoa whoa’s” of the chorus. It’s a rousing start.

The Incubator tackles the feeling of social anxiety. Ingeniously it mixes post-hardcore and disco elements into something that feels really fresh, and definitely showcases the harder edge of the Ten Eighty Trees sound. Wear Me Down follows it up, with a story of burnout. It rumbles along with a sense of resignation tinged with frustration. It’s a highlight.

Never Let U Down (Again) opens with lively percussion and riffs to die for, leaning back into the hard end of the rock spectrum. Can’t Live Twice closes the EP in a softer fashion, with an emotional style, loud-quiet instrumentals and a lingering relatability.

Ten Eighty Trees are such an exciting prospect in the UK rock scene right now. They’re able to channel influences from the gamut of rock genres, combining them into a sound that feels wholly theirs. If you found yourself in a mosh pit at any point in the last twenty-five years, then this EP is for you. You can check out the whole of Maybe I Like The Misery below.