The Definitive Act,
Tsunami BombI really liked ‘The Ultimate Escape’. Really liked it. I had absolutely no expectations – I don’t think I’d even heard of Tsunami Bomb before when that CD arrived for review – but I put it on the stereo and was blown away. Here was a band that had dark pop-punk sensibilities and a front-woman with a stunning voice. It dipped, waivered and screeched and helped to rock my socks off. An entertaining live band too, you could say that I’m a Tsunami Bomb fan. When new record ‘The Definitive Act’ arrived for review I was pretty keen to hear it and expectations were high – so you can imagine my disappointment when I discover this is a pretty poor follow-up.
Everything that made ‘The Ultimate Escape’ good – the thick production, clever, powerful vocals and huge vocal melodies – has been ripped apart. Replacing it is an above-average rock record that meanders through and only in places gives you the kick in the balls that you’re after. Agent M has a fantastic voice and an amazing range, but on this record it’s barely evident. Michael Poorman’s (Hot Rod Circuit) production is strangely subdued and flat, leaving the guitar tones to drag on and over the course of the record sound samey and dull. This is not the follow-up I was hoping for.
Everything starts off well. ‘Dawn On A Funeral Day’ is a great song; driving riffs and hard-hitting drums combine well with M’s voice, even if it doesn’t change pitch as often as it maybe should. But still, this is a great start. ‘Being Alright’ sounds just like it would fit on their last record and things are really looking up. But as New Found Glory recently sang, “it’s all downhill from here.” ‘4 Robots and An Evil Scientist’ is pretty bad, while ‘I Bought You’ suffers badly in the production stakes. The guitars sound the same throughout, making the album drag through 12 songs, while M’s vocals remain pretty solid, but I believe the production just doesn’t do them justice at all. ‘Epic’ drags too; it just sounds forced and uninspired, while ‘My Machete’ lacks the spark the band seemed to have in abundance on the last album. I’d prefer to see these songs live as I believe the band would do them more justice.
If you believe the rumours, ‘The Definitive Act’ is aptly named as it will be Tsunami Bomb’s last work for Kung Fu Records. Sadly, they’ve seemingly gone out not so much with a bang, but more of a whimper. This could, and should, have been so much better. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I’m disappointed with the direction the band has gone in. Not so much a Tsunami Bomb, not even a small tidal wave – ‘The Definitive Act’ is more akin to a ripple on the water’s edge.
www.tsunamibomb.com
Kung Fu Records
Paul
