Robyn Writes

Darwin and the Dinosaur – Romulus [EP]

Romulus, the latest offering from Norwich-based Darwin and the Dinosaur opens with all the majesty of its legendary namesake. ‘Mow Mow’ is a charming, enrapturing kind of track. Right from the off, you’re faced with beautiful guitars and an impeccable sense of melody. And it’s the perfect track to showcase what’s still to come. There’s intensity, technical skill, emotion and a certain cheekiness. It’s Minus The Bear meets Taking Back Sunday but with an unmistakeable Britishness. That’s the whole EP in a nutshell, but Romulus does have a lot more to offer as well.

Liebe is catchy, dancey, and would fit perfectly on Kerrang! TV’s current rotation. It’s bundles of fun, but not a carbon copy of current British alt-rock. Lyrically, the EP is a cracker – extremely self aware, a little bit self deprecating and above all, intelligent without being too pretentious. This is best showcased in ‘Lady Die’, a 30-second “fuck you” wrapped in gorgeous melodies and following track ‘Fuck You And The Horse You Road In On’, an amusing insight into the lives of underground music acts. DatD is packed to the brim with excellent musicians, and there are inspiring instrumental sections on every song, but ‘October’ really takes the cake, giving each member a place in the spotlight. The EP has a great pace to it – there’s radio friendly slow burners, like ‘Stupid Is As Stupid Does’, an Armor For Sleep esque ballad with some killer backing vocals, as well as upbeat made-for-a-live-audience anthems.

The production values are also incredible. Everything is clean, crisp and clear. No instrument battles it out with another, there’s no tinny cymbals, it just sounds great. If there’s one criticism of this EP, it’s that occasionally the main vocals slip into a slightly American based whine, and as this seems to be consciously combatted at times with a more British pronunciation, it sometimes pushes them out of tune. But otherwise, Romulus is an absolute joy to listen to, and Darwin and the Dinosaur are set to conquer.

4 out of 5 high fives!

Heartwell – Certainty Of Change

It’s a rare thing to listen to a record and be instantly aware of how much fun the people on said record are having- singing their hearts out and thrashing away at their instruments like their lives depend on it. Emerging from the New Jersey D.I.Y punk scene, Heartwell are caught somewhere between fellow Jersey residents Lifetime, with their melodic emo-tinged hardcore approach and the catchy jingle-jangle of Indie. The band’s debut – Certainty Of Change, despite the usual self deprecating emo lyrical histrionics, possesses a unique ability to warm the cockles of your heart through songs that beg to be sung along to. From the first raspy vocals of opener ‘Second Annual’ you may feel the inclination to jump around and shout the words back with all the strength in your lungs. These are songs written for playing in a live environment – to be best enjoyed covered in sweat in a small room of writhing bodies.

As the mosh-inciting opener draws to a close, there is an instant sense that this album has raised its head above the mire of similar sounding groups. ‘Milpool’ sees dual harmonising vocals with each vocalist competing to claim the title of having the most bedraggled and tattered vocal chords. Ringing guitars provide the beautifully simple harmonies whilst gruff power chords maintain momentum throughout, hammering away at riff after riff with hearty vigour. ‘Adults’ features a more subdued and melodically inclined intro with guitar lines weaving in and out of each other, flowing into following track ‘Chronometry’. The relentless energy rarely lets up until the more sombre ‘Untitled’, a wonderfully understated three chord interlude that lets everyone catch their breath before the pace intensifies once again for ‘Who Monitors The Monitor’ – yet another raucous foot-stomper of a track. ‘Bring Me Back Something French’ has more than enough “woah-ohs” to keep the pop-punkers content as well as some clever drum work that is brilliantly intricate without being too distracting. The group finish the album on ‘Winter Swimmers,’ another fast-paced blast of punk that descends into a piano line of stark simplicity that brings the album to a subtle and dignified close.

Sure, there may be thousands of bands who instill the same Lifetime-isms into their music as Heartwell, yet few can claim to do so with such sincerity and energy. It is clear that Heartwell are injecting every morsel of their very being into their music, placing much higher value towards overt passion rather than originality. It is this fact that makes ‘Certainty Of Change’ such an enjoyable record and if by the end of listening to it you haven’t as much as even though about stagediving to their bouncy emotional punk, then I’m afraid there may be something wrong with you.

4 out of 5 high fives!

a brief notice.

Updates this week are going to be sparse – or not at all. My town has been put on flood alert so we’re pretty much preparing for the worst.

Thanks for your patience.

xoxo – Ripper

Undesirable People – Eugenics [EP]

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Pop punk is a bloated genre, spurting out bland clones with reckless abandon, all of whom claim to be worlds apart from each other whilst they’re essentially just covering each others songs. To stand out amongst the millions of whiney voiced Jimmy Eat World worshippers is a real feat. Eugenics a six song E.P by new pop -punks-on-the-block Undesirable People has all the desire to break free from tired clichés and yearns not to be pigeonholed into a convenient cranny of pop-punk’s sub-sub-genres. Furthermore, the fact that Jay Maas of Defeater fame mixed the record speaks volumes of the band’s musical and creative ability. As opening track ‘Eugenics’ blasts out of the starting blocks the first nuances of Undesirable People’s efforts of individuality become clear. Math-inspired stop/start stutterings revolve around tempo changes exemplified by relatively simple yet effective guitar interplay. Dynamism is nowhere more abundant than in the vocals, veering from lung bursting shouts to a delicious Patrick Stump falsetto sung with enough conviction to make the ladies (and fellas) go weak at knees. And for good measure, there’s the good old fashioned pop-punk nasal whine at the start of ‘Deathly Combinations,’ which no pop-punk record should be without. As with any pop punk troupe, the choruses soar and Stephen Kennedy’s vocals are boosted by subtle harmonies providing all the “oooohs” and “aaaaahs” that are always the sign of a big, anthemic chorus.

The band aren’t afraid to throw out a few curveballs, perhaps in a slight act of desperation but nonetheless the bluesy guitar solo on ‘Deathly Combinations’ and the delicate horn flare on closer ‘Animals’ certainly grab your attention. More importantly, they add a quirky element and sense of individuality which almost lives up to the bands bold claims of distinctiveness, but these moments alone cannot define the record. Despite the group’s relative success at steering well clear of clichés the songs themselves lack overt personality and it is only closer ‘Animals’ that really provides any impact. The emphasis on dynamics and hushed vocal whispers of the verses give the chorus the extra boost to make it truly memorable. They may be Undesirable People, but what they create is desirable music that is earnest and passionate. However, their quest for cliché free pop-punk, despite best efforts, is yet to be fully realized.

3.5 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!