The Review
The good thing about this CD is that it does actually retain a lot of the energy that makes Max Raptor such a great live band. If you could imagine The Cribs with rabies you're part of the way there - they've got a fair amount of the 2000s 'indie' in their sound, but enough punk rock to really give it some oomph and reach an almost transcendent level of good for such a recent band.
First up is 'The Great And The Good', which kicks off with pounding drums and a chant that leads fluidly onto guitar noise. The gang vocal interplay is very well-done here, and the change in tone and dynamics between song and chant work very well. The instruments here are straightforwards enough but with more than enough flair and enthusiasm, vocals are tuneful yet powerful, lyrics powerful, and the structure and style of the song very enjoyable.
'Ghosts' is much more immediate in noise, although this is no bad thing. The melody here is very distinctive and adds another level of enjoyment. Once again the gang vocals feature heavily, although the singer on his own is a very good vocalist. The distortion and fuzzy bass work very nicely with cutting drums to create a wonderfully dark and paranoid sound. This is where Max Raptor rise above other bands of a similar sound: they're able to inject the most unlikely aspects of other things into their music. This is in-your-face indie punk via film noir thriller. Also, their lyrics once again prove to be smart and to-the-point, attacking the disappointment of modern life.
'Sparks' starts out with an incredibly upbeat and bouncy riff, although the lyrics, despite their soft and cheery delivery, reveal yet another sarcastic and vicious attack on modern life, and the song builds frantically towards an explosive chorus with pounding cymbals. Gang vocals get slightly superfluous here but this can be forgiven. The handclaps and guitar break only add to the tongue-in-cheek happiness of this song. The screams aren't the most impressive recorded but trust me, live they're something to listen for.
'Conversations With Death' is the closing song, opening with a stilted stop-start riff and a clear vocal sound that works well before the gang reappears for the pre-chorus. A definite strength of this band is the intelligent way they fit their lyrics into songs, toying with pacing and delivery to create something that really holds the attention. Their guitar sound is another enjoyable part, sounding like it's coming (very loudly) from a tin well, creating a nice contrast with the thundering train sound of the bass and drums.
So yeah. Four songs that are totally necessary in your life. How many other bands can produce a debut EP of four consistently great songs that not only work together but also as stand-along anthems for us new generation to jump around to.
You don't quite understand exactly how you're missing out or how much you're missing out on until you put the CD on and wonder where these guys have been your whole life. (Answer: Birmingham.)
Expect big things from these guys.
First up is 'The Great And The Good', which kicks off with pounding drums and a chant that leads fluidly onto guitar noise. The gang vocal interplay is very well-done here, and the change in tone and dynamics between song and chant work very well. The instruments here are straightforwards enough but with more than enough flair and enthusiasm, vocals are tuneful yet powerful, lyrics powerful, and the structure and style of the song very enjoyable.
'Ghosts' is much more immediate in noise, although this is no bad thing. The melody here is very distinctive and adds another level of enjoyment. Once again the gang vocals feature heavily, although the singer on his own is a very good vocalist. The distortion and fuzzy bass work very nicely with cutting drums to create a wonderfully dark and paranoid sound. This is where Max Raptor rise above other bands of a similar sound: they're able to inject the most unlikely aspects of other things into their music. This is in-your-face indie punk via film noir thriller. Also, their lyrics once again prove to be smart and to-the-point, attacking the disappointment of modern life.
'Sparks' starts out with an incredibly upbeat and bouncy riff, although the lyrics, despite their soft and cheery delivery, reveal yet another sarcastic and vicious attack on modern life, and the song builds frantically towards an explosive chorus with pounding cymbals. Gang vocals get slightly superfluous here but this can be forgiven. The handclaps and guitar break only add to the tongue-in-cheek happiness of this song. The screams aren't the most impressive recorded but trust me, live they're something to listen for.
'Conversations With Death' is the closing song, opening with a stilted stop-start riff and a clear vocal sound that works well before the gang reappears for the pre-chorus. A definite strength of this band is the intelligent way they fit their lyrics into songs, toying with pacing and delivery to create something that really holds the attention. Their guitar sound is another enjoyable part, sounding like it's coming (very loudly) from a tin well, creating a nice contrast with the thundering train sound of the bass and drums.
So yeah. Four songs that are totally necessary in your life. How many other bands can produce a debut EP of four consistently great songs that not only work together but also as stand-along anthems for us new generation to jump around to.
You don't quite understand exactly how you're missing out or how much you're missing out on until you put the CD on and wonder where these guys have been your whole life. (Answer: Birmingham.)
Expect big things from these guys.
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