Labels: Kat
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Sometimes when I write a review I can never think what to put in the first lines. This is one of those times. Ah, that solved that problem.
A couple of people I know think this is a real, totally, stunning masterpiece of an album. I wouldn’t quite go that far, but I tell you, it’s damn good. Discount blend their punk, rock, indie and pop with just so much songwriting nous that it’s scary. Their is a definite J Church feel to the way they go about this, which is not a bad thing.
Vocalist Alison has a superb voice and really carries these songs. Tracks like opener “Half Fiction” have a real almost anthemic feel to them, and make me want to dance around the room as the powerful vocals drive the song a long. Throw into the mix the catchy choruses on the likes of “Torn Jeans” and you’re coming out with a combination that equals good music. All this is charged by the totally rocking guitars that Discount throw in to somehow come up with chunky rock songs that have a definitive and distinct pop sound. You don’t hear bands do that as well as this everyday.
Lyrically there are a lot of relationship songs on here, and Discount come across as way more intelligent than your average pop punk band – rather like J Church – and that surely is a good thing.
Every now and again they slip in something different to go with the more rockier songs. The sort of folky acoustic “Toxic Home” breaks the album up nicely, and there is also a cover of a song that I think is called “Talkin’ ’bout A Revolution” or something – anyway, if I remember rightly Tracey Chapman did it originally, and Chamberlain have also covered it.
Yet another album you really shouldn’t be without. So if you are, go pour even more of your money into music and get this.