There has been a new wave of Drive Thru signings and as the recent UK Invasion tour proved, Hidden In Plain View tend to please as many as they annoy. With an edgy pop-punk sound that torments with spikey guitar riffs and powerful vocals, HIPV tend to come across as a hybrid of some of the other bands on the roster. The debate of whether you like the label or not is tired and pathetic, yet people still continue to waste their breath with ill-informed opinions which state all bands sound the same. Clearly they don't - Rx Bandits and Senses Fail are at two ends of the spectrum, for example. However, Hidden In Plain View are not the most original of signings the label has made. That's not a disparaging comment at all - I like this EP after all - but you can perhaps spare a thought for the Early November comparisons.
Still, being the consumate pro that I am (cough), I put those misconceptions to the back of my mind and approached this record with an open mind - and it's actually rather good. So yeah, it's not startlingly original and does nod at the likes of TEN and Taking Back Sunday, but there are some good songs on here. 'Shamans Witches Magic' is a cracking starter while 'Where The Highways End' has some cracking vocal melodies. The production is crisp and layered, probably best shown on the fantastic 'Belly Full of Kerosene', my personal favourite. There's a certain Senses Fail feel to the song but you can be original and crap, so being slightly generic but at the top of your game wins points in my book. The demo version of 'Twenty Below' also promises lots, making the upcoming full-length an interesting, and welcome, prospect.
Although this is a relatively 'safe' release that doesn't break too much new ground, HIPV are one of the better recent signings that Drive Thru have made. If they can find their own sound the obvious talents on show here prove they could make a career for themselves. Promising stuff indeed.
www.hiddeninplainview.com
Drive Thru/Eat Sleep
Paul
