the Cost of Living - Demo Two - CD (2008)

Labels: self released
Review by: Andy Malcolm

Really neat 4 song demo here from this Manchester band who’ve been playing out and about a bit of late. The songs are mostly short (3 tally at less than 2 minutes), and have a distinctively UK melodic punk sound, mixed with a bit of the Yankee a la Lemuria (a comparison they’ll get merely from having female vocals). The guitars chug and rock out though in a fashion definitely reminiscent of Crackle Records and past favourites like Leatherface and Hooton 3 Car. As I am a sucker for that sound, I will always be ready for a new bunch to step into the breach, given that we get about one new band a year in that vein. The vocals sound a little bored and flat, yet this works a lot better on record than it did live – fitting the production and heft of the guitars well. “Fan Fictionary” clocks in as the longest song here, a whole 3 minutes, and is the most fleshed out of their efforts, and when it rocks off at the end it actually sounds a bit like the awesome Evergreen song “Shoulder”, which is always a good thing! Anyways, this is a good demo and if they’re in your vicinity I suggest you pop along and check them out as they put on a decent show. Smart!