My Awesome Compilation are a band that will be instantly familiar to most readers of this site. They are a band we have watched climb from humble beginnings, with bags of potential, to the very top of the UK underground scene. With a couple of very well-received EPs behind them the band are finally unleashing their first album. This is ‘Actions’ and this is without a doubt one of the most difficult reviews I’ve had to write.
Now I’ve been lucky enough to have this album for a good three months now and during that time my opinion of it has changed greatly. When I first slipped this into my compact disc player I thought I had the wrong band, such was the difference between this and what I remembered MAC sounding like. Instead of the polished production of previous efforts this sounded raw and distorted. However, it was the vocals which gave my ears the biggest jolt. Gone were the slightly American-tinged vocals, and in their place were what sounded like very forced British accents. If you don’t know what I mean listen to the re-recorded version of ‘As Always’ and compare it to the version on ‘The View is Amazing’. Initially I found myself really struggling with this album - I just couldn’t get past the vocals. However, here comes a confession. Despite most of the Punktastic staff being huge fans of the older material I always found it a little too polished for my liking. Suddenly, after listening to this on repeat for what seemed like forever I finally got it, and it was having a reflective listen to MAC’s older material that made the breakthrough for me. You see this album isn’t like the MAC I remember for good reason, it’s an album that finally gives the band their own identity and is all the better for it. Go back to previous reviews and see how many times MAC are compared to emo band A or emo band B and you’ll understand what I mean, and why I believe both band and label came out with this album.
So ‘Action’s is, in essence, the rebirth of My Awesome Compilation. Don’t get me wrong the changes aren’t huge, but they do have a big impact on how the band sounds. Personally I find the production more preferable and it stops the inevitable comparisons to MAC’s counterparts on the other side of the Atlantic. The biggest difference though, is in the actual songs. The emo-pop of before has been overtaken by a desire to rock - and that means heavier and faster songs - an aspect of the live show that is finally captured on record. The first four songs are very, very strong. ‘You Need Discipline’ kicks things off in style, with a great intro giving way to a big sing-along verse and chorus. ‘Put up a Fight’ places greater emphasis on the keyboards before exploding into a monster riff and another strong chorus. ‘Gave You Everything’ sounds every bit as good on record as it does live and ‘Set to Go’ is fast and frantic, and is really enhanced by the production. The title track is another great mix of keys and riffs and features some great dual vocal work. Perhaps the biggest surprise is album closer ‘Awake’. It sounds unlike anything the band have done before but is undoubtedly one of the album’s highlights. It’s not all good news though. There are a couple of weak efforts on here, most notably ‘What You Do’, and the vocals can, on occasion, detract from songs. Given time you do get used to the vocals, but even then the odd track (‘Sirens’ springs to mind) does struggle when the vocals seem particularly forced. It’s a brave decision to change the vocal style and it just about comes off.
‘Actions’ should be the album that breaks MAC into the mainstream. It’s not perfect but it’s certainly their best work to date. For many outside of the UK underground community the issues I’ve mentioned won’t matter at all, and those within will overcome them with repeated listens. The biggest praise I can give is that I think even past dissenters may be seduced by the improved/different sound. My Awesome Compilation have crafted an album that takes them to the next level and gives them their own identity at last. If you’re betting on the next thing, put your money on MAC.
www.myawesomecompilation.com
Mark
