Man/Woman/Chainsaw///Deep Dive
Credit : Sophie Barloc
Man/Woman/Chainsaw—a teenage art-punk band known for their chaotic yet deeply collaborative sound—are gearing up for what might be their biggest year yet. Freshly signed to the American indie label Fat Possum and with their debut EP Eazy Peazy on the horizon, this eclectic six-piece is poised to redefine the contours of London’s buzzing DIY scene. But don’t let their youthful exuberance or rapid rise fool you; beneath the raw energy lies a deep well of musical experimentation and thematic ambition.
Man/Woman/Chainsaw’s origins read like a love letter to the DIY ethos. The group—comprised of Vera Leppänen (vocals and bass), Billy Ward (vocals and guitar), Lola Cherry (drums), Clio Harwood (violin), and Emmie-Mae Avery (keys and synths)—formed organically during their teenage years, meeting in secondary school music rooms and swapping ideas during lunch breaks. For Harwood, the story is even more serendipitous: Their earliest efforts, raw and unpolished, were driven by a desire to simply play live. By the time they turned 18, the band had played over 100 gigs across London’s indie circuit. Venues like Brixton’s Windmill—a breeding ground for acts like Black Country, New Road—nurtured their early experiments. “We were bad,” Ward admits in a recent interview with a laugh.
Listening to Eazy Peazy, it’s evident that Man/Woman/Chainsaw thrives on contradiction. Their sound oscillates between unrelenting noise and haunting fragility, often in the same track. “The Boss,” the EP’s explosive opener, features Leppänen railing against oppressive authority figures with a ferocity that feels both personal and universal. Harwood’s violin, distorted to a gnarly squall, weaves with Avery’s aggressive synth lines, creating an auditory tug-of-war that somehow holds together. Yet moments of tenderness punctuate their fury. On “Grow a Tongue in Time,” Leppänen’s introspective vocals float above shimmering keys, offering a respite before the band plunges back into the maelstrom. This push-and-pull, the balance of chaos and control, is what makes Eazy Peazy such a compelling listen. Producer Daniel Fox, known for his work with Gilla Band, helped refine the EP’s sound, teaching the band an invaluable lesson: “If everything’s loud, nothing’s loud.”
Man/Woman/Chainsaw’s songwriting process reflects their collaborative ethos. Each member contributes their ideas, but no song emerges unchanged by the group. Avery acknowledges the vulnerability involved: bringing a song to the group and watching it transform completely can be intimidating, but that transformation is where the magic lies. The result is music that benefits from everyone’s unique influences. This approach shines in tracks like Sports Day, a chaotic yet relatable exploration of adolescent trauma set to a jittery bassline and shifting drum patterns. Similarly, Ode to Clio—named after Harwood—evolved from a straightforward pop track into a sprawling, multi-layered epic, thanks to Harwood’s violin melody. The band’s collaborative spirit extends beyond their music; their camaraderie is evident in their inside jokes and the way they finish each other’s sentences. As Harwood puts it, they’re “friends first, bandmates second”—a rare sentiment in an industry often driven by competition and self-promotion.
The themes in Man/Woman/Chainsaw’s music encourage reflection, going beyond their technical skill. Tracks like The Boss and Maegan challenge listeners to examine their experiences with power and vulnerability. They ask: How does authority shape our lives, and how do we reclaim autonomy? What role does chaos play in creation, and when does it become destructive? While many bands opt for safe choices, Man/Woman/Chainsaw embraces uncertainty, urging us to confront life’s messy, beautiful contradictions. Their music isn’t about offering answers—it’s about starting conversations.
At a critical juncture between raw potential and realized ambition, Man/Woman/Chainsaw balances frenzied, community-driven live shows with recordings that reveal their depth and complexity. If Eazy Peazy is any indication, they’re not just London’s most exciting live band right now—they could be the future of indie music. As they continue to dismantle and rebuild their sound, it’s thrilling to imagine what they’ll create next.
