Just like their countrymen in Vanilla Sky, The New Story have an American-tinged pop-punk sound that only differs from their US counterparts because of the very strange accents they sing with. Fonzie do it too; they have a cool sound yet still maintain this little Euro edge. Anyway, I digress. With a support slot with Angels and Airwaves coming up in their homelans soon, The New Story are clearly on their way up. Yet for me there’s nothing new here to suggest world domination – sure, the melodies are tight and the singalongs catchy, so I can see why the Italians will lap them up. But on a global scale the likes of Hit The Lights and New Found Glory already do this so much better.
Their cover of Natalie Imbruglia’s ‘Torn’ is essentially as good as TNS get, and while that’s both damning and high praise at the same time, it does tend to suggest the band’s own material isn’t quite up to scratch. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing bad about this band whatsoever. They hit all the right pop-punk notes, have songs about girls and will have you tapping your feet in time with the drum beats. But if I’m being honest, ‘Torn’ aside, I can’t remember another harmony or chorus and nothing sticks out once the song has ended. Big in Italy, but unlikely to get the same level of adulation on a global scale.
www.thenewstory.net
Paul