Ideas Above Our Station,
Hundred ReasonsI think it's fair to say that the debut record by UK mob Hundred Reasons has been hotly anticipated. With so many US bands coming over to the UK and saturating the market with their 'alternative' pap, it's refreshing to see a UK band battling back and taking them on at their own game. And no, I'm not on about the Lostprophets...
Hundred Reasons have gone about things the right way. It would have been very easy to have released 'Ideas Above Our Station' around the time of the 'success' of the single 'Cerebra' but they've bided their time, toured really hard, released a number of singles and got the word out. And not only has word got out, it's been gobbled up by the kids, making Hundred Reasons one of the hottest properties in the UK right now. How else can you explain a top ten album?
But does the record live up to the hype that surrounded it in the weeks up to its release? The mainstream music press have lavished praise on 'Ideas Above Our Station' with many magazines giving it full marks. This is a mistake, because as good as the album is, it's not faultless. However, if this is the starting point, then the future is looking very, very bright indeed.
The obvious excellent tracks are the singles. Album opener 'I'll Find You' is a classy chunk of rock - whether you'd classify it as emo or post-hardcore is up to you - but it's still a corking track nonetheless. 'If I Could,' and it's annoyingly catchy intro riff, is a pogo-tastic anthem which will certainly go down well at this years summer festivals and 'Silver,' for me, is easily the best track here. With dual vocals, emotion and energy, it encapuslates everything the band are trying to convey. Indeed, its "say what you wanted to ask me," chorus is as catchy as they come.
Colin Doran's vocals are as strong on 'Answers' as they are anywhere else, giving the band an immediate identity which is always a good thing. 'What Thought Did' is another classy track, with inventive use of the guitar to create all kinds of effects, without losing any of the melody. 'Falter' hints at 'Morning View'-era Incubus, but Colin's vocals keep things on track, whilst 'Shine' is a short and sharp burst that freshens things up.
There are a couple of weaker tracks - 'Oratorio' isn't as memorable as a couple of the other songs and 'Gone Too Far' is a disappointment. As the name suggests they have maybe pushed the guitars a little too far into a territory that doesn't suit them. But plus points for at least trying to get away from the melodic stuff that's becoming their trademark.
Hundred Reasons have set themselves up for a bright future. 'Ideas Above Our Station' is not the most original record you'll hear this year, but the band do what they do very well. You could do a lot worse than to check this lot out...
Paul Savage
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