A true Swansea son, the recent trajectory of Casey Maunder has been upwards and with his latest solo album released this week, the future continues to look bright.
Casey Maunder – Get Out and Push
Release Date: Out Now
Words: Paul Hutchings
Casey Maunder has been immersed in the music industry in South Wales for many years, performing at the age of 14 with his father and touring the UK with The Cherry Thieves and Four Stories High before taking the plunge as a solo artist in 2021.
2022 saw his debut album, Until Your Heart Stops Beating, followed by a couple of singles in 2023. Live shows are coming thick and fast, with his recent slot at the Station 18 Festival at Hangar 18 in Swansea going down well.
Maunder describes his style as eclectic. He is a poet and a storyteller and was influenced massively by Queen, although that does not necessarily immediately transmit in his music. But once you get into Get Out And Push you can hear the rich melodies, singalong choruses and guitar driven sound that drench each song.
The production from James Weaver is polished, leaving enough edge to hear the grit that Maunder’s vocals possess. There are some real crowd-pleasers here. It is a strong opening, with Lately, Sarah Can’t See, Hardwired, and Superman’s Dead all big anthemic tracks that will work well when played live.
I’m not too excited by the lighter elements, which stray a little too much into the crooner zone. Brooklyn In The Rainm for example, prompts comparisons with Neil Diamond, and whilst I am in admiration of the Jazz Singer, it’s a little bit twee.
It’s where the thicker and heavier guitar kicks in that I find Maunder at his best. The Crow On The Branch is a case in point. It is what I would call a ‘banger’, with enough meat about it to appeal to those who like their music with bite, but still allowing plenty of air for the melody and rhythm to do its thing.
Unsurprisingly, Maunder cites the Manic Street Preachers as another big influence. I think that is evident in his fluid, organic style as he weaves his lyrical content around the music.
Politically and socially astute, his themes are a million miles away from those early Glam Metal days. “I’m not somebody who’s gonna write about driving a Chevrolet down the Sunset Strip or anything like that,” Casey said in a recent interview, “because I’ve never driven a Chevrolet down the Sunset Strip. I write about what I see around me.”
Casey Maunder is not beyond defiance, though. Disgracefully Yours sees that Manic Street Preachers edge in a song about how he will dress how he wants, despite the opinion of others. Something that many of us can relate to, especially as we get older.
Catchy, anthemic, thought-provoking, Casey Maunder’s music is inspiring. It’s well constructed, with a big tempo, and he can bring it with confidence in the live setting. As he says, there’s something for everyone here.
The soaring melodies on One More Stone In My Shoe demonstrate his love for the big song, with plenty of layers and backing vocals providing the opportunity to sing along throughout. Bruises & Bloodstains, the penultimate song on this album, hits right in the feels. And so it should. 
Get Out And Push reeks of honesty, hard work, and endeavour. It’s an album that works whether you are driving in the car, relaxing with a coffee, or cooking those summer sausages on the BBQ.
Eclectic, yes, but also heartfelt and dripping with emotion. A beautifully crafted piece of work, Maunder deserves massive credit for this album.
One can only wish him every success.
Casey Maunder – Get Out and Push is available from here.
