Saturday 21 March 2009

Review - Smudge - Where I Go At Night

Smudge - Where I Go At Night

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9 out of 10

Smudge are a 5-piece rock band from the north of England and they are one of the best new bands I have heard in a long time.

Their EP "Where I Go At Night" is a short, sharp and brilliant slice of rock music. The music here is devastatingly tight, with the rhythm section holding things together while the guitars are given licence to soar during the solo in Speechless, and punctuate the chorus of We Are The Night with a simple, but effective lead part. The levels of musicianship shown separate Smudge from your average up-and-coming band and the top production on the EP serves only to highlight what a professional sounding outfit Smudge are.

It is not hard to pick out influences during the course of the record. Opening with a song that would not seem out of place on a Bayside record, and followed by a song that brings back memories of Acceptance, this band are certainly aiming towards the rock side of pop-rock.

The lyrics are suitable if unspectacular, but it is far more common to have poor lyrics at this stage in a bands career and credit needs to be given to singer Jack Valentine, whose delivery is perfect for the bands musical style.

I really cannot praise this EP enough, all 3 tracks on the EP have remained in my head since I first listened to it and I have no doubt that Smudge will be a name to watch over the next couple of years. Purchasing this is highly recommended.

Listen: www.myspace.com/smudge

Tracklist:
1. The Thrill, The Ride
2. Speechless
3. We Are The Night

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