I’ve reviewed some damn good records of UK bands in the last few weeks and the quality doesn’t seem to be letting up any time soon. Steel Rules Die and Adequate Seven are impressing me a lot at the moment, as are this Whitehaven-cum-Leeds mob, Joe Ninety, who have produced a cracking six track EP on Bombed Out. Despite being labelled as emo by Kerrang, Joe Ninety play pop-punk with a snotty edge, rough around the edges but with enough melody to interest your Bowling For Soup-ers.
At just 16 minutes in length, ‘Blueprint For The Inevitable’ acts as a short, sharp reminder that fantastic bands lie in your backyard and that there really is no need to look across the pond for bands that will rock your socks. The record is mixed and produced by UK pop-punks answer to what Pharrell Williams does to pop music, Iain Wetherell, but despite some of his previous offerings being a little too slick, this comes across well – meaty riffs and throaty vocals, like Fletcher and Phinius Gage having a summer-time scrap. The anthemic ‘Postcards From The Breach’ is a storming opener with a crunching riff working well alongside a melodic verse and chorus. Oh, and you will be singing along to the “still choking on the hand that feeds” refrain in the outro – guaranteed. ‘A Word Of Warning’ does seem like a more melodic Phinius Gage, and that’s no bad thing as JN rock out in fine style. The backing vocals provided by Steven Hunter and Rob Wolfe provide an added dimension to Lee Wall’s passionate screams and it all sounds very impressive indeed.
‘Everything Plus One’ is a fantastic call to arms, while the build-up that simmers away to kick off the Dugong cover of ‘Last Time I Was This Happy’ is a definite EP highlight. Originality resumes with the corking ‘Small Surrenders’ which although is slightly slower in pace, continues the lyrical theme of discontent. But it’s the surprisingly excellent acoustic track ‘Dark Days and Dogfights’ which really impresses. Although it may seem trite and obvious to throw in the token ballad, Joe Ninety opt to keep things varied and fresh by going for a sentimental and bittersweet song which ends things softly, yet memorably.
The cracking UK releases keep on coming and it looks as though 2003 is going to be a bumper year for the homegrown scene. Leeds already has a number of fantastic local bands, but Joe Ninety have proved with this release that they are easily up their amongst the best.
www.joeninety.com
Paul