You might read the name Man/Woman/Chainsaw for the first time and think – what the hell is going on? It’s a fair thing to wonder. But behind the abrasive, perhaps concerning image, soars a six-piece whose debut Cannonball plummets into a sea of organised chaos, leaving quite the splash.
Born out of bonds formed in sixth form, Man/Woman/Chainsaw set out to craft vivacious songs destined for live play. Listen to what’s gone before and be greeted by high-octane glued to wistful melodies. But that’s where a new challenge greeted them: would this all translate into a full-length studio album?
The short answer – absolutely. What Man/Woman/Chainsaw have shaped here in 41 minutes builds on what’s made them so intriguing to begin with. This isn’t just a band throwing noise in your face thinking it’ll do. Instead, a masterful album you’d never think was a band’s debut, but much rather that of an established artist.
Take opener ‘Only Girl’ for example whereby a witty tale of adoration sinks its teeth into the abrasive clash of instruments that sits behind (softened however by the whirl of a violin). It’s a rhetoric that fits the rest of the album – melody cleverly convening with abrupt yet delicate still musicality. You can almost imagine it’s capabilities when played live.
The album works best in its moments where calamity creeps in. Songs such as ‘Goddamn, Lizard Man!’ or ‘Snakebite,’ let the chaos build. We’re not thrown in straight away but guided to choruses which pack a punch. It lets the Cannonball carry weight without feeling overbearing.
And, of course, they give us chance to catch our breath. ‘Nosedive’ commands these syncopated synths which dance with that violin. ‘Lighter’ introduces a slower tempo and airy musicality to coincide with its theme of devotion. And even ‘Still Angry,’ has gentle moments, albeit eventually crushed by crescendo.
It would be easy to compare a band like Man/Woman/Chainsaw to their experimental contemporaries like Black Country, New Road. But this isn’t a band who should be boxed in by what’s gone before. Cannonball carves a sound that just feels different. Within those 41 minutes, the band offer a first impression that undoubtedly sticks. I’m already eager to see what’s to come next.
Man/Woman/Chainsaw: Cannonball out 7 August 2026 (Friction Records)
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