State Champs – 'The Acoustic Things' EP Review

State Champs – 'The Acoustic Things' EP Review

Tracklist:

1. Elevated

2. Deadly Conversation

3. Hard to Please

4. Simple Existence

5. Easy Enough

6. Leave You In The Dark

7. If I'm Lucky 

The new generation of pop-punk is one of the hottest topics surrounding the current rock scene and last year, New York quintet State Champs secured their spot in the limelight with their first full-length record, The Finer Things, which was undoubtedly one of the best debuts produced in a while. Since then, the boys have been busy teasing us with the anticipated release of their acoustic EP The Acoustic Things, the Sunday morning to The Finer Things’ Saturday night.

The EP primarily consists of renditions of older songs: Elevated, Deadly Conversations, Hard to Please, Simple Existence and Easy Enough. The majority are replicas of their originals, with nothing new to offer besides an acoustic guitar - some listeners may feel a bit cheated at the lack of imagination shown in these performances. Far from being purely acoustic and stripped of all else, tambourines and finger snaps fill out the spaces previously occupied by drums, with the occasional piano key making an appearance in Elevated.

New tracks Leave You In The Dark and If I’m Lucky are reminiscent of Mayday Parade’s 2011 self-titled album, with the occasional added grit from vocalist Derek Discanio. These two songs are pleasantly delicate and soft, brimming with the emotion and angst that keeps these tranquil tracks firmly in the pop-punk frame.

Probably the highlighting feature of The Acoustic Things is that by toning it down, State Champs perfectly showcase Discanio’s mix of soft and gravelly vocals that the electric originals just can’t expose. The Acoustic Things is a great treat for existing fans, but if you’re on the fence about where to invest your cash, The Finer Things would be a far better investment. 

Forever Can Wait – ‘Beauty&Grace’ EP Review

Forever Can Wait – ‘Beauty&Grace’ EP Review

Tracklist

1.  Beauty&Grace
2.  P&Q
3.  Rest
4. Release
5. Excuses
6. Hopes&Dreams

          Southampton based rockers Forever Can Wait are finally set to release their EP ‘Beauty&Grace’ on 27^th November after a busy year performing at Download Festival, Edge Fest and playing their first ever headline show as well as creating ties with MTV and Kerrang!

          The headlining track is a promising start to the EP with singer Tash Crump demonstrating her mind-blowing vocal abilities. Although she may lack the brutality and feistiness of other female vocalists such as Lzzy Hale, it’s evident that she doesn’t need an in-your-face persona to leave a lasting impression. ‘P&Q’ is undoubtedly the best song on the album with riffs that will get stuck in your head for days and catchy lyrics that you’ll be singing in the shower after you’ve had it on repeat for far too long. Debut single ‘Rest’ and second single ‘Excuses’ have been commended on Alex Baker’s ‘Kerrang Radio Unsigned Show’ and it’s clear why. Both tracks boast powerful instrumentals and Liam Baker’s talented guitar-playing skills take the limelight in ‘Excuses’, helping set the sober tone in the bitter love song. ‘Hopes&Dreams’ is an explosive finale to the EP and tells the world that they’re ready to conquer and they’re not going to take any of your bullshit. Rightly so.

         Forever Can Wait show definite potential with this EP and it’s difficult not to admire the band; they’ve created their own style of alt-rock with Tash’s distinctive voice and interesting chord structures that will help them carve their names in the music industry. All of this being said, there’s only one more question to ask – what’s with the lack of spaces? 

Jet Pack – ‘Chasing Sunsets’ EP Review

Jet Pack – ‘Chasing Sunsets’ EP Review

Tracklisting:

1. Back To Life
2. Now I Know How John Locke Felt
3. The Heat Of The Moment
4. Chasing Sunsets (feat Lauren Pryke)
5. All I Need
6. This Is The End

      Jet Pack are a four-piece rock band erupting from Cheltenham and they’re one of those wonderful rarities that take your breath away upon impact. Jet Pack have successfully written an icebreaker that shifts effortlessly from an energetic and gripping introduction into a more intense chorus, complete with powerful vocals and subtle dramatic undertones courtesy of singer Dennis Cook. A hard-hitting combination of rhythmic drum beats and grubby guitar riffs ‘Back To Life’ perfectly and sets the standard high for the rest of the EP.

If You Me At Six and We Are The Ocean were to have a lovechild it would be ‘Chasing Sunsets’. It’s the ultimate blend of alternative rock at its best and it provides a rare opportunity to give inordinate attention to the diverse abilities of this band  - the EP fuses the upbeat and heavier element of Jet Pack in ‘The Heat Of The Moment’ with the placid and more dulcet nature of ‘Chasing Sunsets.’ The headlining number is predominantly acoustic which offers a break from the more vivacious songs on the EP and is perfected by the beautifully eloquent vocals of Lauren Pyrke that help add to the raw tone of the track and help extract the emotion that this song deserves.

There are no other words to describe this band other than exceptionally talented and it’s unsurprising really – they’ve been around since 2008. With five years of experience under their belts, the question is not their undoubtable music abilities - it’s how are they unsigned? 

Lost Trends – 'Buy the World' EP Review

Lost Trends – 'Buy the World' EP Review

Tracklisting

1. La La (Lies)
2. Takedown
3. The Pop Song
4. Buy The World

     Lost Trends are a wonderfully promising indie-rock band from York, releasing their debut EP ‘Buy The World’. Combining influences from Bloc Party, Sex Pistols and Joy Division, Lost Trends are destined to be in a league of their own with their original and innovative sound that is seemingly shaped by blending punk bass lines and jazzy guitar leads with viscous rhythms and a sharp Yorkshire accent worthy of Alex Turner. 

     Opening this brilliant EP is a song that sounds solidly like a track Kasabian constructed whilst on drugs – rhythmic and repetitive guitar riffs persist throughout together with distorted vocals and dynamic drum beats but there are also traces of techno and an unexpected historical-sounding lecture on the frequency of sound. The second track ‘Takedown’ is very similar and replicates the same elements of the opening track yet ‘The Pop Song’ has clearer vocals, presenting vocalist Stephen Green with an opportunity to demonstrate his choral and lyrical talents. ‘Buy the World’ is much more unique as it edges away from the funkier sounding theme of the whole EP and the guitar riffs are less profuse which unfortunately gives the song a weaker sound and isolates it from the more powerful tracks of the EP.

     Overall this EP is creative and unusual and the band have cleverly combined several musical elements to ensure a wider variety of listeners and as a debut EP, this should be very successful. 

Circle Of Reason – ‘These Hands and This Mind’ EP Review

Circle Of Reason – ‘These Hands and This Mind’ EP Review

Tracklisting:

1. Don’t Be Still
2. Home
3. Novel
4. Sleep
5. Themes Amongst Thieves

        Being compared to music giants Soundgarden and Smashing Pumpkins must be daunting for a little-known band that’s only been around since 2010, yet alt-rock band Circle of Reason are out to prove themselves again with their new EP, ‘These Hands and This Mind’.

       Their debut EP ‘A Favour For A Stranger’ received glowing reviews and certainly put the spotlight on Circle Of Reason, who haven’t disappointed in their latest killer release. The quartet have guilefully exhibited their expansive talents over the five songs on the EP, contrasting tracks of earth-shattering guitar riffs and thundering drums such as ‘Themes Amongst Thieves’ with the gentle and silkier rhythms of ‘Sleep’ and ‘Home’, which subsequently allows the entire record to flow mellifluously in fits of melodic vocals and ardent outbursts of instrumentals.  The entire record demonstrates divergence and every track contains its own uniqueness whilst still retaining an imprint of the unmistakeable sound that is Circle Of Reason, described as ‘merging considerate, visceral guitar parts, ear-shattering drums, and warm, alluring vocals’.

         Nevertheless, it’s possible to believe that Circle Of Reason are refraining from unleashing their full potential  but hopes remain high for the talented and indomitable four-piece from South-West England who will undoubtedly be causing quite a stir in the British music scene quite soon!

We Were Beautiful - 'This Town' EP review

We Were Beautiful – This Town EP

Track listing

1.     This Town
2.    The Wolves
3.    Death Do Us Part
4.    Jealousy

 After supporting the likes of Lower Than Atlantis and Deaf Havana, the bar was set high for Liverpudlian rockers We Were Beautiful’s debut EP but it’s fair to say that the band have easily outstripped expectations with 'This Town'.

                From the very first note of 'This Town', the record flows effortlessly in a string of upbeat choruses and beautiful lyrics that highlight the discernible influences of Biffy Clyro and Funeral For A Friend – a doubtful combination that works perfectly in crafting a masterpiece of a debut that will certainly charm fans of every genre. Fantastic heart-felt belter 'Death Do Us Part' juxtaposes brilliantly with 'Jealousy', a heavier tune that will induce instinctive head banging and have you singing it for the rest of the day.
                Not a single second of this superb record is simply average. It’s clear that We Were Beautiful have incredible talent and the future looks promising for the band who look prepared to pull out all the stops on their voyage to get balls deep within the heart of the alternative music scene.