Anyone that seemingly names themselves after one of my favourite Get Up Kids songs is clearly onto a winner. Before I’d even heard this band I liked them – smart packaging and a nice little bio, favourable first impressions go a long, long way. We receive a lot of CDs and it’s the little things that make records stand out – this EP had a warmth and feeling before I’d even pressed play. It’s a good job, therefore, that the music doesn’t let everything down. Action and Action don’t reinvent the wheel by any means, but they do a jangly Promise Ring/Spy vs Spy thing pretty well.
The band themselves claim to be influenced by the likes of At The Drive-In, Mineral, Cursive and The Gloria Record, which are fair comparisons. The five-piece mix up the subtle, creative sounds with some more harsh and emotional, so the five songs here show a creative depth. The standard of musicianship is high, the level of songwriting also creditable. As I say, they’re not breaking new ground, but everything from the production to the way the songs are set out stands out from most UK bands of this ilk.
If I did have one complaint, however, it would be the style of one of the vocalists who, at times, seems to become possessed by Kermit the Frog. I know that’s a horrific comparison to make, but when the whisperings and straight singing turn into more of a passionate warble, the vocals tend to sound like Kermit’s crooning – albeit only for a few seconds. It’s not bad by any means, it’s just a little…well, different. It doesn’t spoil my enjoyment of this band at all as in most cases they are spotless and well worth your attention. I just found the odd vocal part to be highly amusing! A&A are well worth checking out, so get your mitts on this record if you can!
www.myspace.com/actionandaction
Paul