It’s always difficult reviewing bands when you’ve got friends in them. I’d say it’s even harder reviewing a band that used to be on your label – after all, give them a good review and you’re biased and give them a bad one and you’re bitter. I guess you could say the same about being in a band and having your friend review it – after all, TMS didn’t actually send me a copy of this single to review, I had to pay of one like the other plebs. Bah Humbug boys…
Anyway, after what has seemed like a lot of inactivity (although they say there’s a lot going on behind the scenes), this is the first single from what I believe is the band’s debut album. Backed by Universal’s publishing arm, there will undoubtedly be a lot more exposure and I have no doubts the band will get the success they deserve. But…and you knew it was coming…I can’t say I’m all that in love with the three tracks here. The lead song is solid The Maple State; choppy guitars, Greg’s trademark vocals and swirling keys and while it’s not as frantic or synth based as their ‘At Least…’ EP material, it’s still catchy and what we’ve come to expect. Thumbs up for that song, even if I can’t say I’m a fan of the production, which is a little too deliberatly lo-fi for me.
The other two tracks, I have to admit, haven’t stuck with me like 99% of the band’s other songs. ‘Cold Theatre’ is really dreary and not even Greg’s vocal delivery can warm it up. It just seems devoid of character – something I never thought I’d write about TMS – and never really gets going, almost like it was written as a b-side with that ‘it doesn’t matter’ feel running through it. ‘Cemetery’ is much better but again it feels very lo-fi and a little plodding. My personal favourite TMS songs are the more uptempo and upbeat efforts, so maybe I’m just re-adjusting to the change of pace. I guess great expectations, possibly unfair ones, have led me to not enjoy these tracks as much as I hoped.
I’m on a hiding to nothing with this review so check it out and make up your own mind. Hopefully the next single – or even the album – will live up to expectation.