Labels: self released
Review by: Andy Malcolm
These guys sound like they are from Norwich. Not really sure if they are, there is not any info with the CD which I found hiding in a box this morning, misplaced during my recent move. I don’t remember receiving it in the first place, well, not properly, I sort of recall seeing the band name and I probably tutted and put the CD in some random pile of other things. Anyway, here it is, and it is pretty solid. HTC are the latest in a long line of current bands indulging in what I like to term “twiddlemo”, that is, mathy indie / emo guitars mixed together with pretty midwest-emo jangles. To be honest, I am fairly bored of this in general, Spy vs Spy were great as we all know, but I am more interested to hear bands mining less well hewn veins in the genre. That said, HTCs 4 songs here are definitely enjoyable, as they lean more heavily on the melody than other bands doing this thing, with both some of the guitar parts and the excellent vocals bringing to mind Norwich heroes Long Live. Which is why I wondered if these guys were from round here. The singer sounds very familiar to me, I had to check the lineup to ensure that wasn’t Klim on vocals right there. Are these guys are ex-Sale on Tomorrow perhaps? That’d make sense. I’m rambling. Anyway, like I said, this is a good demo, I’d like to see the band live, they manage to veer away from Spy vs Spy with some regularity, for instance the chuggy guitar on “The One With the Brutal Face Pounding” in particular reminds me of early Promise Ring, which I heartily applaud. “Are We Not Reasonable People?”, gets off to an iffy start. Then again, I am not a reasonable person. BUT. It really picks up, and at the end they are doing the emo waltz like they know who Bells on Trike are or some crazy shit like that. Sweet.
All in all, good demo, the band seems headed off on the right path, and I foresee more good music in the future. Unless they are from Norwich, in which case I foresee another demo, and then they’ll split up and all move to Leeds or London.