Friday 29 August 2008

Review - Scream! Shout! Say Nothing - The Animals Still Run This City

Scream! Shout! Say Nothing - The Animals Still Run This City

View The Review

7 out of 10

'Scream! Shout! Say Nothing' isn't a name I like, maybe this is because I loathe the overuse of exclamation marks - in my opinion commas would have been a more viable option and one exclamation mark at the end would have sufficed.

The album however is presented beautifully and boasts some great packaging. I've also heard bits and piece about these guys and was therefore keen to see what they were all about.

On my very first listen I was reminded immediately of London Hardcore quartet Million Dead. In fact, opening track has a very similar same drum intro as the seminal million dead track 'Breaking The Back', this however is not enough to draw comparison - I mean bands will invariably use the same drums beats as one another. Then, their vocalist begins to sing. Now in fairness to him he's got a great voice - only thing is he sounds an awful lot like ex-Million Dead front-man gone solo, Frank Turner. I could go on, but suffice to say these guys sound quite a bit like Million Dead - from the guitar work to the choir sing-along outros that you find all over, and to a degree identify Million Dead's 'Harmony No Harmony'.

This aside, there are some great piece of music on the record - there's various moments of spatial ambience that, according to their press release are reminiscent to 'Explosions in the Sky' et al. For me this doesn't come across, in fact these ambient moments often feel like filler on what is already a short album. The record sways from heavier moments into these delay drenched lulls, and though they more than serve their purpose I personally feel that the record could have done without them, the band are actually more believable and likeable when they're playing heavy. Fans of Refused, At The Drive In and maybe Thrice will really enjoy this. To Million Dead fans, this could be the band you've been waiting for since your heroes untimely demise in 2005 - then again, maybe not.

It's a decent album, and I will go out of my way to check them out live. The album cuts it, yes but it did leave me wanting more.

Listen: www.myspace.com/screamshoutsaynothing

Tracklist:
1. When It All Goes Dark The Animals Still Run This City
2. Fulfil The Roles Boys.Fulfil The Roles
3. Einstein I Ain't
4. The River
5. Gimme Inner Peace Or I'll Mop The Floor With Ya

No comments: