The first thing I thought of when listening to this CD was that The Kirkz sound like Rancid covering [spunge] songs. And that is not good. Not good at all. Suffice to say not all of the 3.7-million tracks on this CD sound like that horrible concoction. Oh yeah, the 3.7-million is a slight exaggeration, but there are a lot. 16 to be precise. Read: too many. I found myself reaching for the skip button just over a minute into every song here, and on a first listen that’s not too healthy. I believe the band come from Macclesfield, or at least that part of the world and they infuse traditional punk styles with a bouncy pop-ska feel. It’s been heard before, it’s often done badly, you work it out.
To be fair The Kirkz aren’t all that bad and I bet they’re a decent live band. They may not be the type of act that will be tighter than Jessica Simpson pre-Wedding night, but I sense there will be fun, comedy and japes aplenty. This may (or may not) be because the band aren’t confident their own tunes can entertain the crowds enough. I’ve always thought that about silly bands. Why are they silly? Are they trying to distract the audience? I digress.
So yeah, ‘Over The Top’. It’s ok. It’s a bit long and if you’re not a huge lover of music with ska elements (they’re not really a ska band per se, but it’s certainly an influence) you won’t like it, but in short bursts it’s kinda fun. I don’t think The Kirkz will make too many waves in the near future, but a career opening shows in Macclesfield for bigger bands or headlining the room above the local pub to packed crowds of friends is a realistic option. Check them out for a bit of fun.
www.thekirkz.co.uk
Paul