Previous to this EP I didn’t really think too much about the Kneehigh material I’d heard before. To me they were a band doing absolutely nothing new, and moreover, they were a band that were doing that generic sound pretty badly. Having said that, whenever I’ve had emails from the Kneehigh guys they’ve always been polite, sincere and grateful for any help and I always have a soft spot for bands who want to work hard to improve. After my boys in Echofreddy completed a stack of dates with Kneehigh earlier this year they reported back that the band had become, in their own words, ‘fucking ace’. ‘The Dignity of Labour’ is their newest release, a hand-crafted DIY release of five songs which showcase a far better sound than the one they’d peddled before.
If there were any pop-punk moments before, Kneehigh circa late 2004 have shedded them, replacing the immature ways of old with a more rounded guitar rock driven sound. Songs like ‘Speechless’ have a Saves The Day or early Get Up Kids feel to them, all driving guitars and vocal melodies, and while I’m certain Kneehigh can take this to a higher level still, the improvements are great. The vocals are clever and the addition of programming and effects gives this bedroom recording a real studio feel. There’s a reason why the band sold 500 copies of this budget priced record in its first week of release – it’s pretty good.
Kneehigh have impressed enough to land a deal with BSM Records so the signs are that 2005 could well raise their profile even more. A phoenix-like rise from the ashes may be a little dramatic, but it’s fair to state the band have pretty much come out of nowhere with ‘The Dignity of Labour’. There’s still room for improvement, but if the jump made is as big again as it was from the last CD, expect big things.
www.kneehighmusic.co.uk
Paul