Workin Lunch – S/T EP
Southern 4 piece Workin Lunch are a breath of fresh air, playing RX bandits style upstroked ska mixed with iron maiden. While this doesn’t sound like it could work, this CD was always going to be good listening, as I’d caught them at a few dates of their 2004 tour and thoroughly enjoyed the sets. But I’m reviewing their CD, and not their live performances.
The first track opens up with twinkling guitar that had me fooled that the first track was going to be a slow track, and a mellow opening. I was deceived. Whilst being a mid pace track, Guy’s vocals are powerful and intense, and anything but mellow. The bass line keeps this track wandering along (the production on all the instruments on this album is superb, everything seems just right) and you can really get the feeling of the live show from this song.
“It all comes round†is a track to bust moves to, if ever there has been one. The tight upstrokes laced with stomping walk-pace drums make it easy to feel a groove. Working lunch have got some good aspects here so far, a feel good factor and vocals that are a little tragic (that’s a positive criticism) that gives a real twist to the overall package. I like it.
The EP consists of 4 tracks, the final track being a solo acoustic number with Nick the guitarist putting his vocals and guitar efforts to it. It’s the weakest effort on the EP, but that’s not to say it isn’t great, just different. It’s very listenable and fits in with the total package very well. If I were to have one gripe about the overall CD though, it’d be the length. 4 tracks and none of them are totally 100% dissimilar, and the acoustic effort seems a little like a cop out to make up the numbers.
I like Workin Lunch, and it will be easy to see why they will be big in 2005 if they work as hard as they did in 2004. A big tour, a bit of label interest and their growing fanbase will blossom, and the more this EP gets heard, I’m sure the sooner Workin Lunch will get the recognition they deserve.
http://www.myspace.com/workinlunch
Lurch