Labels: Big Scary Monsters Records
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Wow, what a terrible band name. I think I know why they chose it though – because this CD sounds like a compilation / mix tape of them emo-pop bands from 1998. We have the Get Up Kids, Braid, and heck, the cover has a fairground ride picture on it just like the Promise Ring, except it is in a muted blue rather than lots of colours. So they have come up with six tracks that have such by the rulebook titles as “The Miracle Mile”, “Turning Leaves” and “Giving Up”. These six songs are resplendent and bursting with recycled riffs, familiar twinkle guitar parts, cute ‘boyish’ vocals that strain and emote, and cheesy backups. Quiet-Loud-Quiet-Loud-Cry-Chugga-Woooo! If MAC was on ‘Just A Minute’ they would get perpetually called up by Paul Merton for repetition.
I have to take my hat off to them (and I happen to be wearing one right now), and give all credit to the band for rehashing 1998 so well, but stuff like the Get Up Kids Woodson 7″ (which was probably like 96 or 97 anyway) was good because it was fresh and the style hadn’t yet been brutally bashed to death with Timmy Mallet’s emo-pop mallet by a procession of bands that failed to realise that just because something sounds good, it doesn’t mean you and your friends should start a band that sounds exactly like that band, but just be kind of ok. So I am guessing that most people who will be into this simply have not heard those old records – it’s the only possible excuse.
Technically, I can’t fault this EP because the songs don’t feature bad instrumentation or stupid structures, nor do they suck shit through a straw. It’s meticulously planned and well played, the songs are pleasant and don’t make me GET FUCKING ANGRY, but even after the past few pre-summers days where I have rocking out to the original bands that played this stuff with passion and energy this just feels too forced and average to cynical old me. 5 years is a long time in emo-pop, and all the emo has been filtered out of this record leaving us with some inoffensive and catchy pop music. Fair do’s, they’ll probably go far, which is more than can be said for myself. Though I did visit Australia one time.