If you’re a Punktastic regular and you’ve not yet heard of Two Day Rule, you best check your pulse. Guitarist Neil has probably whored his band around the forums more than any band ever, but then he has every right to want to spread the word. His band have come up trumps with their latest effort, ‘After Dark’, a record crammed full of hooks and melodies and some wonderful boy/girl vocal harmonies. Infact I could probably argue that this record loses marks ever-so-slightly because the band don’t use this secret weapon enough. The Bristol mob have been bouncing around the UK for quite some time now, but are beginning to really forge a niche on the circuit. Sure, some high profile support slots have certainly helped, but this lot are paying their dues and I hope this record pays off – they deserve praise from all quarters at the very least for effort. But it’s not just what they’ve put in that deserves the plaudits – it’s what comes out of your speakers that will have your mates ranting and raving with glee later this year. You want spikey pop-punk nuggets? We’ve got ’em! In Andrea Kenny the band have a sassy singer with enough attitude to make any sane person’s ears prick up.
‘After Dark’ is a record that’s easy to like – it’s full of chugging guitar riffs and powerful vocals, and while some of the choruses do seem to pass by without really hammering home, there is enough on offer to have your foot tapping and you fingers a-clicking. For me, the secret weapons are the two vocalists. Andrea sounds like a less violent Kelly Kemp – maybe it’s the slight south-westerly drawl in the vocals – mixed with the sassy stylings of Gwen Stefani. Two pretty obvious comparisons I know, but there’s an attitude here which brings out an added dimension to many of the songs. Perhaps underused, however, are the dual boy/girl vocals – personally I think tracks such as ‘All Your Fault’ or ‘How To Be The Perfect Wife’ would sound even better if the two vocalists sang together. I’m a sucker for good female vocals, y’see. The songs, on the whole, stand out from the pack too. The highlight for me is the stomping ‘Try Hate’.
So you’re probably looking at the score and reading this review and wondering why it’s ‘only’ got 7/10. Well, Two Day Rule have done the hard work and ‘After Dark’ is the proof – this is a record that holds your attention and keeps it. But, for me, what TDR currently lack is the huge killer hook or the massive chorus – the one many American bands seem to be able to nail, yet on this side of the Atlantic we struggle sometimes. ‘After Dark’ is full of catchy choruses, but I’ve been struggling to hum along to any song once I’ve switched it off. The best bands with the best albums have that ability to burrow into your brain and take hold, forcing you to hum along at every given opportunity. Since the last record, Two Day Rule have made great strides and I can easily see them making the small jump they now need to head to the next level. ‘After Dark’ doesn’t quite reach the heady heights it so often threatens, but that doesn’t stop this from being refreshingly awesome.
www.twodayrule.com
Sugar Shack Records
Paul