Burn Burn Presents...Watch This Space, Various Artists
Compilations are a strange beast. UK compilations full of previously unheard of bands are an even stranger beast. Like Forrest Gump once said, they really are like a box of chocolates because there's absolutely no way to tell what you are going to get. And the same can be said of Burn Burn's first compilation - with Get Cape Wear Cape Fly the only band I've previously heard of. In a sense this is a good thing because it means I can find some new bands without having to trawl endless demos or myspace. And anyone with any experience of either of those will know this is a good thing.
It would seem that those people putting 'Watch This Space' together like Muse. I could count a few bands with Muse-esque influences, which if you like that thing will probably float your boat. However, Lost Sunday et al began to grate on me for sounding a little bit obvious after a while. There are a few other dodgy numbers on here too - My Friend Eject could be renamed My Friend Skip This track for me, while Heartstrings just seem a little out of place.
However, negatives out of the way, there are some great songs here too. As well as the aforementioned GCWCF, Canada's Mugshot are quite brilliant - a heady mix of buzzing guitars and soaring vocal melodies and well worth checking out further. Electric Cinema are pretty cool too, as are The Spicoli's and Dustin's Bar Mitzvah. As an eclectic mix of tracks, this compilation does a pretty good job. It will introduce you to a stack of new bands, always a good thing, and switches genres more times than Tim Armstrong has had musical projects. Check it out - now.
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