Labels: self released
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Three songs here from a melodic UK band that mixes up the strains of indie rock with
chuggier mtv-mo post-hardcore guitars to create a sound that you will hear being
played throughout the small towns of the UK, where “emo” boys gather to ply their
trade. It’s extremely standard, with the pre-requisite nice and twinkly break down
parts being thrown in amongst the bits where the boys get to close their eyes and jump
around on the stage. It has whimpering vocals and Texas is the Reason and Sensefield
style rocking. The singing is too clean cut and smooth for me personally, ready for
radio rather than reducing you to rubble. The band seem to be very competent at doing
this kind of stuff which I would classify as “Emo Diaries”-esque. It does little or
nothing for me (this kind of music killed mid-west emo), as it fails to flick any
switches in my head and doesn’t play with my emotions. I guess that could simply be
due to the fact that I heard the bands that originated this style at a certain point in my life, and if I
was hearing them for the first time now I would not be particularly moved by them
either. Whatever. The Attika State are a solid, cookie cutter post-hardcore indie rock
band, there is nothing remotely new going on here that you can’t hear done better by
some band 6+ years ago, but if you enjoy the music that Deep Elm puts on them dang old
diary things then I think these folks will be up your street. Whilst I and anyone
sensible would simply just listen to Christie.