Repeat, Repeat,
Not KatiesI really enjoyed Not Katies debut album, an album full of hooky popcore anthems that would have you singing along with gusto. Problem was, as time went by 'At Every Turn' became a bit stale and an album which showed so much promise kind of got left on the shelf. The likes of 'Two Halves Of 2' stood out a mile and rightly gained the band some airplay, but for every classic there was a track which died a slow death. Still, with all the right ingredients in place I was very interested to see if the South Coast quintet could come up with the goods for the traditionally 'difficult' second release. Thankfully this is an improvement and it's almost as if the boys knew what was wrong with the first album and what needed to be done to fix it.
I think pop-punk will make a grand return this summer and 'Repeat, Repeat' will put the Katies back at the forefront of the UK charge. This 5-track EP isn't perfect, but there is enough variation on offer to keep things fresh and interesting. The most notable feature of the new tracks is the ballsy feel they have, boosted by the addition of a second guitarist in Neil, who has since left the band. The depth of the sound makes for a warmer feel and the vocals sound well-rounded, making the record sound better. Tracks like 'Fingers on the Ledge' and 'Strike It, Reverse It' are ballsy efforts that rely on vocal harmonies more than NK have ever before. The guitars simply play second fiddle, backing up the singing, and this adds depth and quality to their efforts. 'The Hope You Choke' is better still, while there's even a Taking Back Sunday-esque edge to the acoustic 'Saccharine Sweet'. But just when you think NK might be doddering towards emo territory, the poptastic 'From far Away' rocks like a bastard.
This record still lacks the killer song that will take Not Katies from the Premier League of UK pop-punk into the Champions League, but the signs are that they have it in them to really have a go during 2004. The groundwork has been done and a few lucky breaks could see them packing out venues on the UK circuit this summer - but going that little bit further could take a tad more effort. Still, this is an improvement on 'At Every Turn' and the future looks bright. Well recommended.
www.notkaties.com
Deck Cheese records
Paul
