THE POSTMAN SYNDROME - Terraforming
Now Or Never Records - 2002
By Mark Bridgeman
The first thing that strikes me about this release is the flat production that doesn't allow the bands fine (albeit somewhat generic) music to come to the fore.
This is "Terraforming", 'A story in eight parts', those parts having titles such as 'Amputees Make Bad Swimmers', 'Hedgehogs Dilemma', 'Interpretive Decorating'... The lyrics take the shape or prose, and it is only while reading them that I can see the band as more than another shouty-calmy band with catchy tunes. As far as the music itself is concerned, as first listen they do indeed come off as the same ol', but with some tasty dynamics (the opening to 'Hedgehog's Dilemma' for example), they do well. If I could pinpoint what. This is what I imagine an emocore performance is, if I knew what emocore was (does anyone?). Hard-edged, melodic, hammer-to-the-head type stuff. Hardcore tendancies, with shades of light. Knowworrimean?
The musicianship is solid, and the vocals - when at top gear - are very cool indeed. They only falter during the calmer bits, when vocalist (alas, cannot find a listing of the bands duties) is not as strong as he perhaps could be.
A fine album let down by shitty production. Turn it up, and it's not that bad though - so, kids, the answer is to play it fucking loud!
7.5/10
Now Or Never Records - 2002
By Mark Bridgeman
The first thing that strikes me about this release is the flat production that doesn't allow the bands fine (albeit somewhat generic) music to come to the fore.
This is "Terraforming", 'A story in eight parts', those parts having titles such as 'Amputees Make Bad Swimmers', 'Hedgehogs Dilemma', 'Interpretive Decorating'... The lyrics take the shape or prose, and it is only while reading them that I can see the band as more than another shouty-calmy band with catchy tunes. As far as the music itself is concerned, as first listen they do indeed come off as the same ol', but with some tasty dynamics (the opening to 'Hedgehog's Dilemma' for example), they do well. If I could pinpoint what. This is what I imagine an emocore performance is, if I knew what emocore was (does anyone?). Hard-edged, melodic, hammer-to-the-head type stuff. Hardcore tendancies, with shades of light. Knowworrimean?
The musicianship is solid, and the vocals - when at top gear - are very cool indeed. They only falter during the calmer bits, when vocalist (alas, cannot find a listing of the bands duties) is not as strong as he perhaps could be.
A fine album let down by shitty production. Turn it up, and it's not that bad though - so, kids, the answer is to play it fucking loud!
7.5/10
