This lil’ CD is only five tracks from the forthcoming TDR album, and I thought I’d give it a cursory run-through before the real deal hopefully lands on my doormat soon. Coming off the wave created by the solid ‘Been Around’ EP it seems like the band are really putting their all into this release, as the production is bright without being over-polished, and boasts enough depth and crunch to deftly sit on the boundary between slick and raw.
‘Monday’ is the most striking track, and in my opinion one of the best things the band has ever done. It’s a breathless race in a relentless double-time, elevated to almost classic status by Andrea’s vocal range, at times a bile-filled sneer inches away from Patti Smith (if she was born in the 80s and brought up on Green Day) or sugaring proceedings with a full-bodied yelp that is sure to bring comparisons with Kelly No Comply that can only be complimentary. What makes ‘Monday’ so good is that it oozes energy and pace, the song flows coherently and like ‘Phoning It In’ it’s both catchy and frantic enough to be extremely promising.
Listening to these five tracks you get the idea that TDR could actually be gigantic. Each song is liberally dosed with melody without making the overall effect overly saccharine, while retaining the effortless pop-punk sound that was hinted at on ‘Been Around’. Dropping the ska influence from their music they seem to have settled into this surf-inflected sound easily, with ‘All Your Fault’ being hummably memorable after only an introductory listen such is the size of the hook while ‘Had Enough’ adds a buzzsaw guitar into the mix to sterling effect.
As a sampler it’s promising, but my main problem is that the tracks on show here aren’t especially varied or innovative, and unless the rest of the album has a few tricks up its sleeve I can’t see TDR realising their considerable potential. All they need is something a bit off-key to spice up proceedings and they’ll be sitting pretty on top of the heap.
Ben
www.sugarshackrecords.co.uk
www.twodayrule.com