Photo Credit: Charlie & Charlie 

W: Laurence Halls

Man/Woman/Chainsaw have teamed up with producer Seth Evans, fresh from his work on Geordie Greep's The New Sound, alongside Margo Broom, whose credits include Fat White Family and Big Joanie. Together, they've managed to capture much of the band's live unpredictability without smoothing out the rough edges. Cannonball feels carefully assembled while still retaining a sense of spontaneity, with abrupt shifts and dramatic crescendos that rarely feel overthought.

For anyone who's spent time around London's grassroots circuit, Man/Woman/Chainsaw won't be a new discovery. Years of sweat-soaked Windmill sets have gradually built them a loyal following, making Cannonball feel less like a debut and more like the next step for a band already finding its identity. Rather than chasing current trends, the six-piece continue to carve out a sound that's difficult to compare directly with anyone else.

Trying to attach a single genre to Cannonball quickly becomes a losing battle. Art rock, post-punk, noise rock, indie and chamber pop all surface throughout the record, but none define it on their own. Violins cut through distorted guitars, synths drift beneath bursts of noise, and songs frequently abandon familiar structures just as they begin to settle. Rather than trying to make every track immediately accessible, the band seem more interested in letting ideas unfold on their own terms.

Beyond its experimental nature, Cannonball is driven by a surprising sense of intimacy. The record captures the contradictions of youth, where desire, uncertainty and frustration sit alongside moments of freedom and reflection. Opening track "Only Girl" introduces this balance immediately, pairing sweeping instrumentation with an underlying tension that recalls the psychological unease of Black Swan. It's theatrical without feeling excessive, setting the tone for an album that continually shifts between beauty and discomfort.

A bittersweet coming-of-age narrative seeps through every pore of the record. Cannonball captures the untidiness of early adulthood, where confidence exists alongside self-doubt and relationships can feel both liberating and restrictive. Rather than offering clear resolutions, the album embraces uncertainty, allowing emotions to remain unresolved. It's this willingness to sit with contradiction that gives the record much of its weight, making its more chaotic moments feel grounded rather than purely experimental.

Ultimately, Cannonball feels like a natural progression for a band that has spent years developing its sound in front of live audiences. It doesn't always take the obvious route, and that's largely where its appeal lies. While its unpredictability won't be for everyone, Man/Woman/Chainsaw have produced a debut that feels confident in its own identity, suggesting there's still plenty more to explore from one of the more distinctive bands emerging from the UK's underground scene.

Released Today 07/08/2026

Check out the video for the lead single, Nosedive