Forever Endeavour,
The Next Nine YearsWales, post-hardcore, Funera...
Nah, I'm not lazy. Anyway, just because there are a million lazy comparisons to make between these young Welsh kids and that band with the same name as an Elton John song, doesn't mean there are any legitimate comparisons. The Next Nine Years are pretty damn good in their own right after all. I first saw this band when they supported Brand New on the Long Island ban's only headline show when they toured with Incubus last year. In a live setting they came across like a far more aggressive The Early November, and I remember thinking that they sounded like the real deal. But for whatever reason, they pretty much died off and fell back into relative (national) anonymity, although I gather the band have a decent-sized home town fanbase.
This EP, released on Lifetaker Records, is a short yet sweet reminder of how good this band are. True, they don't technically break new ground - and they don't sound very Welsh at all (so maybe they do have a FFAF comparison after all!) - they certainly do hit the spot with four melodic, thrusting guitar attacks. 'Eleventh Hour Blues' is attacked with gusto, with the vocals twisting in melodic fashion around a battering ram of drums and guitars. 'Sinister Writings' is even better as the choruses build up and explode into a huge singalong chorus. Even the more generic shouty 'Paint By Numbers' sticks out a country mile.
Short and sweer this EP may be (include the intro and it's just 14 minutes long), but it highlights a young band that can make a big impact with a bit of a push. A year ago they seemed like the real deal - it will be interesting to see if they've been able to build on that in the 12 months that have passed.
www.thenextnineyears.net
Lifetaker Records
Paul
