Robyn Writes

Maycomb – I Opened My Heart To Caustic Things

Maycomb, a four-piece pop-punk outfit from Wolves, try to make waves with what is surprisingly only their debut album: ‘I Opened My Heart to Caustic Things’. Rather than 2012 spelling the end of the world, it has produced a stepping stone for these boys, seeing them open tours for the likes of The Wonder Years and Man Overboard; ending on a high note with this release.

The first two tracks ‘New Storms’ and ‘Old Gold’ show how Maycomb have done a lot of growing up since their 2010 EP. As ‘New Storms’ opens the album, there’s a sign of real promise which is held consistently throughout the whole album, even though the holding of a consistent sound throughout the whole album is perhaps more of a hindrance than a help. The majority of the lyrics portray a loathsome picture of the band’s hometown, or concentrate on their desire to take Maycomb from strength to strength; tried and tested pop punk staples. I think it’s fair to say that there isn’t a bad song on this album, but everything blends together too much. The short ‘Out of Darkness Cometh Light’, which is barely over a minute long, does show a softer and more delicate side to the band. However, this minute of acoustic guitar and soft vocals doesn’t do enough to dispel the feeling of sameness running through the album.

Most of the songs consist of pop-punk melodies with some catchy hooks dispersed throughout. There’s a few of the song-making riffs that usually come with a lot of this genre, but the consistent cheery guitars do enough to entice listeners, getting feet tapping and heads nodding. There is some display of vocal range, but for the large part they are quite high register. Not of the A Skylit Drive ilk, but don’t tune in expecting anything gruff.

A highlight of the album is the closing track: ‘Whatever Happens, Happens’. As well as featuring the by now expected upbeat guitars and lively chorus, the track is a throwback to one of their earlier songs, ‘Whatever Happened, Happened’. This finishes off the album on a bright note, with a nice transition of tempo midway through and a deceptive fade out before kicking back to life right at the end.

‘I Opened My Heart to Caustic Things’ is well finished but it isn’t the most complex record and not unlike most of what is already floating around in the pop-punk genre. Maycomb are an example of a band who found a winning formula to song writing that works for them and stuck with it. The lively beat, guitars and energy show that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing and it may produce some good, even potentially radio friendly singles.

3 out of 5 high fives!

Old Flings – Spite

Old Flings came into existence in late 2010 as an outlet for Matt Evans (Just Die!, Megahurtz) to create full songs out of the more subdued and personal acoustic songs he had been writing for the year previous. To lend a helping hand, Evans called upon bassist Jordan Luff (ex-Just Die!) and drummer Travis Hollifield (ex-Nights On Fire) and the first Old Fings line up was formed. After a period touring, mostly up the US East Coast, Hollifield made his escape into the world of big rig trucking and he was replaced by drummer Phil Hickey (Collapse). After releasing a first demo in late 2011, the band have followed it up with their first full-length, Spite. The band describes their music as “90s-era Revelation Records meets Gin Blossoms meets Smashing Pumpkins meets Hum meets Samiam”, and while comparing several different bands doesn’t help conjure up a sound very well, the description is largely accurate. If forced to describe the sound in a combination of genres, it would have to be something along the lines of melodic hardcore combined with a bit of alt rock and power pop anthems.

Opening track “TBC” gives the album a lively, bouncing start. The drum and guitar provides a relatively gentle, funky rhythm with some nice vocal and instrumental transitions into the chorus. The production sounds a little rough, but purposefully so, as if every corner and edge doesn’t have to be smoothed over and why should it be? One thing to note straight away is the promise of 30 second or so instrumental, which is catchy enough to make the soberest of crowds dance around like idiots. “Merry Go Round” has a similar sound, perhaps a little less bass heavy with a more prominent and consistent drum beat, but like TBC it starts off livelier than the rest of the song follows. The jazzy guitar and bass combined with Evans’ more drawl vocals is reminiscent of a Don Broco(ish) sound.

Third song “Senseless” has a strong guitar dominated intro, with the song juxtaposing the chirpy riffs against more gloomy vocals. The repetitiveness of the same chords being repeated throughout can seem to become a little monotonous despite head-nodding, foot-tapping beat, but this is shattered with another interruption by a nice guitar solo which makes me thankful that Evans decided to inject some electricity into what were formerly acoustic tracks. The intro to “Grip” lures the listener in with mellow bassline, but whether it is Evans’ glum vocals or the similar structure that most of the songs have, nothing really makes this stand out from the rest.

“The only things I care about in this goddamn life are me and my drums and you.” The quote by Watts from the 80’s teen romance Some Kind of Wonderful kicks off “Apathetic” which unlike the name suggests is quite an energetic song. The name of the song instead refers to the subject matter, as you probably expect, with Evans asking whoever the song is aimed at “It seems you’d rather cry than strive, are you already dead inside?” The song gives pride of position to a larger selection of drumming prowess than any of the previous tracks, or any that follow, with several positive riffs.

The album as a whole seems very late 80s/early 90s in both sound and influences. Drawing on youthful experiences isn’t necessarily a bad thing though and is probably to be expected considering how most of the songs started out as personal acoustic numbers thought up by Evans. Altogether the album is a solid release, but it would benefit from a little more variety. All songs seem to be cut out of a common framework and Evans’ vocals can become a tad melancholy and overbearing at times. That said, it is a good album and for fans of The Samiam and Texas Is the Reason it’s a must buy.

3.5 out of 5 high fives!

Avastera – The Clocks Have Ticked Too Long [EP]

A lot of bands are very resistant to being defined by a certain genre, fearing being pigeon-holed and shunned by potential fans because of it. With Avastera and their debut EP The Clocks Have Ticked Too Long, the problem is immediately more complex. These boys simply don’t fit any one genre. You could try to describe them as pop-punk, alternative, melodic post-hardcore and sure enough there are elements of truth in each, but none really do justice to the diverse sound that explodes out of every single song on the EP. Having recorded the EP with producer Paul Leavitt (All Time Low, Yellowcard), the band have already begun building up an impressive track record since the release of their debut-single ‘December Sun’ in March 2012. As well as playing a lot of high-energy shows across their native Australia, Avastera have even started to develop a loyal fan-base stateside, touring with more established bands such as Mayday Parade, The Pretty Reckless and A Skylit Drive.

The EP itself kicks in with the fast-paced “Hear Me Out” and straight away, the diverse sound of Avastera becomes blindly obvious. Most of the song swings by in a blur of kick drums, harmonised riffs and strong vocals, but it is full of changes in tempo and even delivers a sweet sounding guitar solo before ending with a surprisingly light ‘Avastera-styled’ breakdown. The melodic post-hardcore really hits home in “As The Tables Turn” as piano and guitar morph into one harmonious sound while the rest of the band manage to fluctuate from the softer to the heavier side of rock with ease. This is perhaps even more dynamic than the opening track, bringing in some sections with a symphonic sound and the first signs of growls emanating from Chris Hanssen’s throat.

“December Sun” is clearly one of the most heartfelt songs on the record and it’s no surprise that teenage girls have swooned upon hearing it. The song itself is upbeat, with some nice transitions in it, and gives pride of position to Mike Lang’s vocals. While it isn’t unlike anything you may have heard before, the lyrics are a nice spin on the usual. Rather than singing about heartbreak or bitterness at a relationship gone south, Hanssen tells of fond memories from a past romance, refreshingly with no pretence.

“This Beautiful Nightmare” delivers another mix of heavy and soothing vocals, carried along by melodic riffs. It’s a testament to the band that they manage to pull off the various different sounds without sounding confused or like they’re trying to do too much. Adding to the EP’s mysterious variations, “Ms. Conception” starts with a two-hand tapping piece on the guitar that sounds incredibly like someone on the piano. The track showcases Avastera’s style quite well, with the rest of the song following dynamically from this opening riff. The final track on the album is an acoustic version of “December Sun”, which delivers the same tenderness but in a smoother, more stripped down package.

If Avastera were out to prove something, you can only assume it is mission accomplished. While showing definite traces and influences of other bands (Hanssen names Yellowcard among others), Avastera manage to create a distinctive sound which transcends genres. This can only be a hit.

4 out of 5 high fives!

Spineless Yes Men – Better Side Of The Bar [EP]

What can you say about an EP that’s only three songs long? Well, quite a bit really. Formed in early 2009, Spineless Yes Men (SYM) have carved out their own niche which, while clearly influenced by several artists, creates a distinctive yet somehow familiar sound. This is probably because their influences vary from rock and roll and punk rock to indie and blues music, so while not sounding like any one band out there at the moment, SYM reflect features of several: Frank Turner, Razorlight and Blink 182 to name a few.

Recorded over five days, Better Side Of The Bar consists of three songs, one of which is not even a new release. The first song on the EP, ‘Poem, Poem’, is a song the band are happy to call their signature anthem. Redone for this release, the song shows off lead singer Towers’ vocal range as well as the diverse sound the band has to offer. After a restrained opening, melodic riffs and a gripping beat ignite the song as it swings past with a blues-rock charm about it.

Songs two and three, thankfully, are new to this EP. ‘Dickens Would Have Made You A Gentleman’ is a jovial song that has catchy, indie beat to it and stands a decent chance of getting some airtime. An infectious riff will grab listeners’ attention from the outset, while Towers continues to deliver positive vibes through out the rest of the song with his narrative vocals. The moody, bluesy bass of Doughty is a real stand out feature of this track, giving it a bit of a cockney-geezer swagger.

Final track ‘Raindrop Shadows’ is more of a traditional rock song. It trades in on some of the catchy elements of the previous two to deliver a stronger sound; which, though different, is just as enjoyable. Better Side Of The Bar is a good introduction for anybody who was until now unfamiliar with SYM, albeit a pretty brief one. Hopefully the band are just holding back, waiting for a more substantial release at some later time. Either way, what they give listeners is a good preview of their abundant potential. You can definitely expect to be hearing more of these guys.

3.5 out of 5 high fives!

A Tale Of Two Cities – New Horizons [EP]

This Bristolian five piece really pack a punch with their new EP ‘New Horizons’. Having already toured with bands like Attack! Attack! and Deaf Havana, this EP can be seen as a mission statement, showing a lot of quality and a shitload of potential. The songs show the sort of maturity you might expect from a band who have been in the business for decades rather than a matter of years. The EP itself has been finished to a high standard, with evidence of a very clean, crisp production. The sound may be similar to a lot of screamo, but the band still manages to carve out their own niche instead of living on the coattails of better bands that have gone before.

Opening song Four Words kicks in with heavy drums, thrashing guitars and vocals which remain prominent throughout. As an opening song it delivers an aggressive yet melodic sound, with the strong vocals of frontman Karl Ficarotta adding superbly to the atmosphere created by the whole band. With Familiar Traits the band show their alternative side, with the great addition of Joe Marsh’s screaming blended in with the lead vocals. Listening to the song you can’t help but think that it would have slotted in to one of The Blackout’s earlier albums quite nicely, the vocal exchanges between Karl and Joe definitely reminiscent of the interplay between Gavin Butler and Sean Smith. The song ends with a metal-esque breakdown that you would expect on the first couple of Lostprophets’ albums, with an electronic presence alongside the riffs and powering drums – it’s hard to believe they are actually from Bristol and not Pontypridd.

Fire Burning Through Our Wings shows how ATOTC can be quite dynamic, producing a very vocally central song in which the drums and guitars play a more diluted role, before Machine finishes the EP off nicely. Combining all of the elements from the songs coming before it, Machine has vocally dominated verses but heavier choruses, bringing back the pounding drums, the catchy riffs and the scream/clean mix of vocals.

It says a lot that the most negativity I could muster is that quite frankly, the EP is too short. It serves a platform from which the band can hopefully spring into the international circuit, but I was left wanting more. When a full length album comes it will have a lot to live up to. If they play their cards right, in years to come ATOTC could be as huge as the Dickens novel they presumably got their name from.

 

4.5 out of 5 high fives!