Sometimes it pays to be a little different. While Socratic don’t really bust down the boundaries, their sound is pretty different to what’s out there at the moment. They carry on the Drive Thru traidition of mixing up their new band’s sounds, and with the likes of An Angle and Adelphi also kicking around, it would suggest the label is moving away from its pop-punk roots. Perhaps this is where Rushmore comes in? Anyway, Socratic didn’t really impress me too much with their early demos once their signing to DTR was confirmed, but ‘Lunch for the Sky’ is a much more impressive beast.
I suppose you could compare Socratic to a band like Piebald. And not just in the music sense either. Piebald are clearly an immensely talented band; a band that can write anthemic, catchy tunes with more than a hint of swagger, as well as the more deft touches their fans have come to love. For me, though, they’re an infuriating band to actually get stuck into. It’s difficult for me to sit and listen to a Piebald album and be dragged into its twisting textures. Same can be said for Socratic – musically they’re not a million miles apart, but it’s more the fact that while Socratic are clearly immensely talented, it doesn’t make this album the easiest of listens.
Often their songs are ambitious and ‘big’ sounding, but with plenty of pop hooks and melodies. ‘Alexandria as our lens’ is impressive, while they even bait the ‘screamo’ bands in one song, with the line: “Hey all you screamo, what’s the deal when any talent that you lack is covered up by the fact that you can scream really loud, Say things that were said before, with every lyric sounding the same?” probably the best. Socratic are clearly a talented outfit and another fine addition to the roster, but I’m not solely convinced this is a great record…
www.socraticmusic.com
Drive Thru
Paul