Debut albums can be tricky for some. But not Man/Woman/Chainsaw. The London sexted have thrown themselves headfirst into the challenge, expertly dodging being pigeonholed on their first full-length outing with a robust collection of songs that refuse to conform to a single genre, instead excavating the boundaries between styles to eclectic, and sometimes jarring, effect.
Opening track Only Girl is a full-blown rocker with violin riffs and an arena-sized harmonic chorus, immediately followed by the chaos of Canyons, which slow-builds from pared-back vocals to melodic exploration and a truly spectacular freak-out finale. Then, all bets are off with Goddamn, Lizard Man!, led by the lower register, off-kilter vocals of singer-guitarist Billy Ward.
When he takes the lead, his voice is a stark contrast to pianist-vocalist Emmie-Mae Avery and bassist-singer Vera Leppänen’s performances, as are his lyrics, which lean more towards the fantastical than the personal. Musically, he veers out into psych-rock territory.
Tracks such as the beautifully haunting Lighter, which finds Leppänen’s honeyed vocals complemented by Avery’s playful keys and cinematic strings from violinist Clio Starwood, or the gut-punching Snakebite and Still Angry, again with Leppänen on lead vocals, show the calibre of songwriting and musicality at play here. Starwood does some heavy lifting both melodically and atmospherically throughout, and it’s a balm for those with basic guitar-rock fatigue.
Every song is a law unto itself, with Man/Woman/Chainsaw utilising their six-strong line-up to fully realise each idea. But as soon as one world is created, it expires, and you’re catapulted into another. There is real excitement in hearing a band so profoundly aware of when to allow songs to breathe, how to musically punctuate and edit to enhance the vibe, and when to chuck the kitchen sink at it, letting their freak flag fly.
Man Woman Chainsaw Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat September 19 2026 - BELFAST Ulster Sports Club
Sun September 20 2026 - DUBLIN Whelan's
Tue September 22 2026 - MANCHESTER Gorilla
Wed September 23 2026 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
Thu September 24 2026 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Grove
Sat September 26 2026 - GLASGOW King Tuts
Tue September 29 2026 - GUILDFORD Boileroom
Wed September 30 2026 - BRIGHTON Concorde 2
Thu October 01 2026 - PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms
Fri October 02 2026 - BRISTOL Thekla
Sat October 03 2026 - CARDIFF Globe
Mon October 05 2026 - NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms
Tue October 06 2026 - BIRMINGHAM Hare And Hounds
Wed October 07 2026 - LONDON Electric Ballroom
Tue May 11 2027 - LONDON O2 Forum Kentish Town
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