This is one impressive album. I’d previously heard a lot about Name Taken, but not heard that much by them. I’d done the usual Purevolume downloading thing, and checked the relevant websites to learn about how good they allegedly were, but I’d never had enough evidence to nail down a firm opinion. When ‘Hold On’ landed on my doormat I was reasonably enthused but didn’t have huge expectations; after all we receive a lot of CDs a week here at PT Towers and it’s very rare you get blown away. However, there’s always an exception to the rule and Name Taken have provided this months.
‘Hold On’ is a perfect blend of pop-punk hooks, emotional melodies and full-on rock anthems. It’s a record that builds itself up round some pretty obvious verse/chorus/verse premise, but in doing the simple things well, it creates for a well crafted and enjoyable record. Fiddle Records are getting a good reputation for coming across good bands, and on the basis of Name Taken, it’s not hard to see why. The opening salvo of ‘Control’, ‘Hold On For Your Dearest Life’ and ‘A Year Spent Cold’ is as strong a beginning as I’ve come across this year.
The guitars drive and the vocals soar, and you get the feeling The Early November wish they could write songs as strong as this. There are many similarities to their Drive Thru peers, but while TEN are more aggressive in their approach, Name Taken are more melodic, arguably doing the job more successfully. Chad Atkinson’s vocals are distinguished and work well, so plus points go to Beau Burchell’s production, which is never too think or polished. The infectious hooks of ‘This Is Never’ and ‘It Sounds Prettier In Spanish’ also serve the record well. It’s never flashy and it never punches above its weight, simply because Name Taken don’t have to – they stick to what they know best, and they do it well.
This record will ultimately be a success in the underground circuit because Name Taken produce perfect crafted pop-punk songs drenched in emotion, and there will always be a market for that kind of band. This has already found itself in my CD player ahead of some of the bigger name releases this year, and with tracks like the gorgeous ‘We Give Up Sometimes’, there’s no reason why commercial success won’t beckon either. Give this CD a whirl, it’s possibly going to be one of those albums you’re going to read a hell of a lot about…
www.nametakenmusic.com
Fiddler Records
Paul
