For a band so young, Scotland’s own TaunTra seem to have the level head of seasoned professionals on them. It is nice to read a press release that isn’t up its own arse and puts across an attitude of genuinely ‘doing it for the music’. If you are not familiar with the four piece, they are a ska punk band with a bit more than your average Reel Big Fish-a-likes. And it is damn refreshing to hear a band in their relative infancy aiming for a sound which not many dare to approach, as the clichés of the genre seem too tempting to adhere to.
The three tracks on display are all solid affairs; with the approach to the composition a fairly balanced mix between the likes of the best laid back moments of Sublime but with injections of raw indie thrown in for good measure. Opener ‘It’s nights like these that ruin your life’ is bright and perky without smothering you in smarm with the vocals of the youngest member (17) Iain Taylor proving strong, as he approaches the track in an extremely solid and dependable manner, worthy of any number of more experienced lead vocalists in bands. A solid chorus compounds infectious verses and it all adds up to a strong opener. ‘Maybe in the Morning’ isn’t quite as infectious but is still a worthy follow up with the sheer amount of tight breakdowns and pace changes proving the highlight. I had been reliably ensured that final track ‘Glass Bottles and Plastic Smiles’ was the best the band had conjured and I wasn’t disappointed. The track takes on a slightly heavier tone with the soft verses proving the perfect counter for some sublime musical moments.
The ska-punk genre is one which is easy to criticise (I’ve been there…) and it does have its knockers, but if more bands like TaunTra got off their backsides, and didn’t bow down to what you expect in a bog standard ska-punk effort, then the genre would be better for it. For the moment, TaunTra are confined to the realms of the North, but with any justice, they will be appearing in venues near you soon.
Jay
http://www.tauntra.cjb.net/