There was a time when every band wanted to sound like NOFX. I remember those days well, even I was (trying) to play songs at breakneck speed with lightning fast riffs and tub-thumping drums. The fact we were shit makes no difference. Nowadays, it’s all about the eyeliner and mop of dyed black hair, as bands try and rip off those they perceive to be popular. It’s amazing how trends change. Pixelface don’t care too much for trends; their sound is buried deep in Southern California and the year is certainly 1998 – making this EP a little pearler.
True, Ben PT is a member of this band, so I’m sure some lowlife will accuse me of being biased, but it wouldn’t matter who was in this band as I’d still be saying the same complimentary things. Basing their sound on the likes of Ten Foot Pole or the aforementioned NOFX, Pixelface are refreshingly bucking the trend. They’re not perfect, far from it, but with plenty of catchy riffs and melodies – and even the odd vocal harmony – they stick out from the pack. There’s even the odd ska riff (hence the NOFX comparisons) thrown in alongside their Epi-Fat skate-punk, just for good measure.
Songs like ‘Victim/Bully’ and ‘Day Trip’ are pretty good, although for me the one thing I found difficult to stomach was the vocal style. It’s not the actual vocals themselves, or the accent (before anyone starts), more the way in which the lyrics are delivered. It’s very stop-start and sometimes the lines don’t fit too. It’s very, very fat Mike – and while that’s no bad thing, it borders on plagarism at times. Still, if you’re being criticised for sounding like NOFX and Fat Mike, you’re clearly onto a winner…
Paul