What does every self-respecting indie band do after bagging the support slot with scene titans BIFFY CLYRO, releasing a well-received debut EP and sitting on the verge of stardom with their first full-length? If the band is HOLY STATE they announce that they are going to split. ‘Electric Picture Palace’ is not only the bands introduction to the wider music world, but also their swansong. In some senses this can mean that the album needs to be excellent to make a mark on musical society, but then again there does not seem to be any foreseeable damage should the record fall short. Unfortunately for HOLY STATE, the end result appears to be one from a band who does not see any future.
The record opens with the post-punk ‘Ride’, a three-minute long casual meander through the bands commercial style. As a track it is uninspiring and at times bland; an unfortunate characteristic which mars the majority of the album. The songs are not bad, yet they feel as if they are being played through a radio-friendly filter. There are moments where the band appear to be on the verge of breaking through, only to be pulled back by their retrospective direction. It is disappointing that the sound appears to be a result of a band who have lost passion for their art, rather than one which delivers on earlier promise.
HOLY STATE list a wealth of 90s alternative bands as their inspiration; a definite attribute of the album. Every track borrows elements from the definitive lo-fi generation, but fails to mould them into anything more than that delivered by the new indie generation. That said the sound is delivered well despite this lack of ingenuity.
Whether HOLY STATE had decided to split during the recording process or afterwards is unclear, however any dissatisfaction within the band has wormed its way into the final outcome. In an attempt to deliver breezy pop influenced indie, the Leeds based outfit have sacrificed any real substance to their music. What they have created is unquestionably technical, although whether it is relevant remains doubtful. ‘Electric Picture Palace’ is certainly not absorbing.
BEN TIPPLE