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6 out of 10
There is something immensely frustrating about Jo Webb & the Dirty Hands' new album, Acrobat. Without a doubt, Jo Webb and his band know how to write a cracking rock song, but it seems like they are also dogged with the rather less desirable talent of writing some pretty bad 'filler' as well.
The problem lies in the fact that it is hard not to like a band who released a free EP which contained original songs named 'Stairway to Heaven' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. It is even harder not to like them when the opening track 'Acrobat' bursts out and positively pins you back in your seat with a crunchy and memorable guitar riff, an anthemic chorus and a nice use of synths. I was listening to this thinking, 'if they can keep this up, I will love this album more than life itself', but somewhat predictably, the album does not keep this up, and the curse of filler-itus strikes as early as the second song. That is not to say it's necessarily a bad song, it just is not as good as the one before it.
Luckily the album doesn't completely lose its way. Songs like 'Shelf Life' and 'Diggin' a Hole' make sure that your interest is sufficiently piqued to carry on listening. 'Diggin' a Hole' is probably a pretty good bet to be the album's second best song, containing a riff that bears an uncanny resemblance to 'Cochise' by Audioslave, it shows the band doing that they do best: Riff, synths, catchy chorus and all in under 3 minutes.
Unfortunately, on the home straight, 'Acrobat' meanders along for a while. After the promising and upbeat 'Wake Up', the filler creeps back in and three rather unmemorable songs play themselves out before the concluding track. 'Oblivious' shows a different side of the band, an acoustic track that manages to be rock-ier than some of the full band efforts and showcases some of the bands best musical and lyrical work.
Despite all this I like the album, and I will be looking out for Jo Webb & the Dirty Hands in the future. There are enough good tracks, and a couple of great ones, to make up for the insipid ones that dog this effort. If, next time, they could make an album that contained 11 tracks as good as 'Acrobat', 'Diggin' a Hole' or 'Wake Up', then I think that there might be a new big thing on the rock scene in the UK. Although, with a bit of luck and some radio play, I think that 'Acrobat' (the song) might be good enough to give 'Acrobat' (the album) the push it needs.
Listen: www.myspace.com/jowebbuk
Tracklist:
1. Acrobat
2. Crime of the Century
3. Happy Man
4. Shelf Life
5. Diggin' a Hole
6. Hollow
7. Wake Up
8. Invisible
9. Dissolved
10. Your Cold Heart
11. Oblivious
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