A Long Walk On A Short Pier,
October FileThis is a real post-hardcore record. As tempted as I am to leave this review as just that one solitary sentence I’ll elaborate…
Oi, stop right there, close that My Space window and listen up; if you’re thinking this is just another run of the mill Post-Hardcore record which will leave you shaking in a pool of your own teen-angst ridden tears you had better think again. This record will grab you by your horribly striped extra small polo shirt, strangle you with your messenger bag strap and slap you across the face with your oversized belt buckle. …this is the most Post-Hardcore album I’ve heard since I last listened to FUGAZI’s ‘The Argument’.
This is one hell of an angry collaboration of intense music; thundering distorted bass lines mould in with some solid drumming whilst coupling up with some damn meaty guitar riffs. What caps off a barrage sound with more raw power than a small jet plane is Ben Hollyer’s (formerly JOR) distinctly gruff and always forceful vocals, which plough their way through a field of bitter cynicism and pure anger fertilized by vanity, credit and the now seemingly compulsory topic for even a UK band; American foreign policy.
The instrumental opener, ‘Overture of an Underwriter’, (apart from making you think the disc is skipping) has the theme of discontent with the crimes committed under the quest for profit...according to the interesting liner notes. Whilst OF do have this evident socially aware edge, see ‘God Hates America’ – an attack aimed at, surprise surprise, the US government, more themes are thankfully covered. ‘Beautiful’ is a tale of love lost, in what only can be described as the OCTOBER FILE sound; blunt, bemused, disgruntled and at times violent. ‘Be the Best You Can Be’ is a spacey and frankly weird track filled with samples, looped bass, reversed drums and some other odd noises which brings the album to a close after around fifty minutes which passes quicker than it perhaps should do.
OCTOBER FILE are an acquired taste, I certainly didn’t appreciate their previous E.P as much as I should have done, although the three tracks on that release all pop up on this debut album. Apart from that ending track, this is a pretty solid record and it must be credited for that. Kerrang apparently hailed this album as potentially revolutionary, I wouldn’t go that far, but it certainly does put a spin on a certain genre title.
-Mike
www.octoberfile.com
Golf Records
