Just a few bars into opening track ‘Take Me Away’, it’s clear that Overthrow have come a long way since last year’s ‘The Withdrawal of Reason’. They’ve stepped up their game in every sense and produced quite frankly blinding results.
With bigger choruses, slicker production and unrivalled attention to detail, the new EP is something of a mini-masterpiece. Whereas last year’s full-length was an intricate, technical endeavour, they’ve focused more on producing straight up ska-infused anthems here. That’s not a criticism – not by a long shot. The off-beat drums and finger-blistering guitar lines are still there, but this time around, they’ve traded improvised jamming for melodies that leave you singing out loud long after the CD stops spinning.
Lyrically speaking, it’s one of the better records of the year, maybe even one of the best. ‘Ode to the Innocent’ is a thought-provoking (dare I say it?) anti-war song – an homage to victims of war that ends with a simple yet thought provoking mantra – “You’re not free when you’ve got a gun to your head/you’re not free”. Elsewhere, ‘All It Will Ever Be’ and ‘Dear Miss Ryan’ are much more personal affairs, displaying sharp, well-considered lyrics.
Before long, the infectious ‘Roll of the Dice’ ends proceedings on particularly high note. That rhythm and those vocals make it a serious contender for one of the best songs of 2008. With that, this six track EP is over. Crucially, there’s enough on this record to secure longevity, but there’s no filler, no messing around and not a single bad song here. I’ve long considered Overthrow to be one of the most talented UK bands of the moment. I’m pleased to report that ‘So Much power, so little time’ has done absolutely nothing to change my mind.
More of this please.
Andy R