eaststrikewest – w o l v v e s
In researching for this review, we’ve discovered that whatever you read about eaststrikewest, the word ‘epic’ will crop up somewhere. Each band member probably has it tattooed on them somewhere, as this is a group who want you to know just how ‘epic’ they can be. Following the current fad for double-v’s (see also: Lovvers and Wavves), eaststrikewest’s debut mini-album, 'w o l v v e s' certainly attempts to show you that.
Hot on the heels of White Lies, this is an album full of echoes, soaring, distant vocals, pounding drums and instrumentals, and in that respect it earns its ‘epic’ credentials. The problem is, it’s no use being ‘epic’ if you haven’t got some tunes in there somewhere, and here is where the band falls down. From the ridiculously named ‘God Can’t Take His Eyes Off Of Me’, to the ponderous ‘The Architect’ there’s little that grabs you and even less that sticks in your head after you’ve finished listening. Short instrumentals like ‘Chu!’ also add very little to the mix, simply breaking up the longer songs with some other ideas before returning to the core material. It all just washes over you, songs segue into one another without you noticing and, for a supposedly mini-album, it takes a long while to get through.
That being said, this is a band who clearly have talent, and in first single ‘Stumble’, they show their potential with sweeping string arrangements and a sharper focus on Tom Clark’s vocals. There are distinct and artfully positioned changes of pace, tone and instrumentation, and it comes off as much more of a complete song than any other on the record. ‘Electricity’ introduces some heavier, overdriven guitars that manage to instil some interest in proceedings too, making the second and second-to-last tracks the most interesting. Unfortunately, this means that neither first nor last impressions are of anything special, and the middle lacks any particular spark.
It seems as though eaststrikewest wanted to counter any kind of poppiness in their music, but in doing so nullified anything particularly catchy or memorable and what we’re left with is a record that never angers the listener, but doesn’t inspire them either, and comes off as a little flat. With a little more ear for a hook or engaging phrase, eaststrikewest could turn into something quite, quite special, but for now they haven’t reached the ‘epic’ heights they’ve strived for.
Subscribe to the DIY News Feed
