Labels: Boss Tuneage
Review by: Simon Graver
Super melodic songs and big catchy hooks characterise this 6 track CDEP from former NILS singer/guitarist, Alex Soria. Basically CHINO is like a more polished version of THE NILS, given a contemporary spin in the power-pop blender. The EP opens up with ‘Uno Mas’ and ‘When You’re Not Around’ two cracking, guitar driven tracks. Not only do these songs rock but many power-pop/rock bands would kill for the kind of melodies and hooks crammed into these songs, good stuff indeed. CHINO slow things down for the next couple of tracks ‘Worlds Apart’ and ‘Mustard Sally’ (the intro to which sounds an awful lot like the opening to THE GOO GOO DOLLS super hit ‘Iris’), both of which successfully incorporate the mandolin to add variety to the proceedings. Things soon return to what CHINO do best though with ‘Misbehavin’, another one of those catchy, driving tunes that is going to be stuck in my head for days. ‘Nine Yards’, a somewhat mid-paced affair brings the EP to a fitting conclusion as I reflect on the past 19 minutes or so spent fooling around with these ever so delightful power-pop songs. Yeah, it was worth it.