The music industry works in mysterious ways. There are bands which I personally think are incredible, inventive acts that push boundaries and don’t get an ounce of the kudos they deserve. And then there are Bring me The Haircut (copyright alex) esque bands which merely rip-off a Top Shop fashion trend and regurgitate bowel-moving screams to a tuneless pile of guitar riffs and yet get snapped up by labels across the country. And it sells. Orko, from Northampton, are a kind of cross between the two extremes. While their post-hardcore sound isn’t too generic, I do feel there are plenty of far better bands around, yet they’ve picked up a publishing deal with ACM who deal with Miramax and Warner Bros. Weird.
Maybe I’ve missed something, but to me Orko are not better than a stack of other bands that do a similar thing. The melodies aren’t that hot, the verses don’t particularly stick and while everything is of a competent level, nothing screams out at me for being that great. If you like bands like Brigade, you’d like Orko. But then, for me, both are dumped on from a great height by a young band called Rocket Kid who, probably, no-one has heard of. It’s all swings and roundabouts and down to personal taste, but this doesn’t touch all the right buttons I’m afraid. Good, but far from great.
www.orko.co.uk
Paul