Quik’s 3 track E.P came in my batch of CD’s this week with very minimal details. I’d like to start by apologising for not mentioning specific band members, but I couldn’t find any details anywhere. I also found it difficult to work out what this CD actually was in terms of previous E.P’s mentioned in the press release. After all, it does say the band is hitting the studio in summer 2002 for Carjack records – is this that E.P? From my research on the internet, I gathered that these 3 songs are actually a collection of unreleased tracks from 2003. Obviously I’m holding an extremely out of date press release. There is also the option that the CD has been lingering in the depths below Paul @ Punktastic’s bed for 18months and has just risen due to me being the new boy on his ship. Nevertheless, music is music, CD’s are CD’s and a review is a review.
So on with the music. Quik are a three piece by nature, but straight away it was obvious to me that there are plenty of guitar dubs chugging away to fill out the sound on this record. Something I imagine would affect the live show immensely. Still it gives this record a very solid sound, plenty of dark riffage and chord patterns combined with interesting lead work on guitars, dances hand in hand with punk style drumming and bass runs, which quickly throws to mind bands like AFI. Musically, this band is on fire, and I think their sound is a wonderful mix up of modern skate punk with rock and melody, pleasing to all sorts of people. Sadly though, the vocalist (sorry for lack of name) has a quiet average voice, bland and often quite unimaginative. The style of singing isn’t enough to grasp the listener and pull them in. He is not by means a poor vocalist; I just feel the music isn’t done total justice.
My favourite track from this collection of songs is this CD’s opener, “In Dreams” which uses dual vocal overlaps in the verses and this works really well. Track 3, “Burning” is AFI with influence through and through. It’s just such shame Davey Havoc doesn’t rip in with the microphone duties as this is mainly the track I feel is a let down. The chorus has so much potential, as the way it is structured and written is perfect, just the delivery is poor from the singer.
Quik are making a release on Carjack records this summer. A similar sort of sound with a little more development on the vocal side will hopefully give them more exposure in England to go along with their army of fans back in Scotland.
Pete
