Tsunami Bomb – The Definitive Act
Tsunami Bomb are almost certainly one of the greatest female fronted bands in Punk Rock. Agent M has such an amazing voice – within seconds her voice can change from to melodic to heavy and it just sounds amazing. She really is a talented front woman and is definitely what makes Tsunami Bomb sound so special. I have always considered myself to be a fan of the band, and this CD certainly doesn’t make me reconsider my position as a fan. The band here has produced another fine effort which shows just why they are as big as they are. This is probably the last album the band will be releasing on Kung Fu due to a bit of a fallout with the label, but they are definitely bombing out on a high!
This is a 12 track album with a very raw edge about it. Due to the band being on Kung Fu, people have always thought of Tsunami Bomb as being a Pop Punk band but this is certainly not the case and for anyone listening to this record that fact is as clear as day. Tsunami Bomb are a fine Punk Rock band and produce music which is intelligent, heavy, and full of passion. You can tell that the band really believe in what they are singing about and this is a quality that a lot of bands seem to lack.
I think that a few people may be put off by first track ‘Dawn On A Funeral Day’ as it really is a bit of a letdown, but I was well prepared for this as I had heard the track on the ‘Punk Rock Is Your Friend’ compilation and knew what to expect. For me this is the only lowlight of the CD and from track 2, ‘Being Alright’ onwards the CD just seems to get better and better and the band seem to sound amazing at all times.
There are so many standout tracks from this album that it is hard to pick a favourite, but ‘A lonely Chord’ is certainly one of the first songs that comes to mind. This is an awesome track with some strong drumming, fine guitar riffs, amazing bass lines, and the ever excellent vocals of Agent M. Her vocals really seem to work well on this one and you can just feel the emotion in her voice as she blasts through the track. This really is a powerful tune and I think that it has come out really well on record. ‘Safety Song’ is another of the names that springs to mind as being a slight cut above the rest. The female and male vocal collaboration really does go down a treat on this track and sounds absolutely perfect. The two very different vocal styles work really well together and the contrast in sounds makes way for a truly amazing tune.
I truly believe that any one of these tracks could be released as a single and do well as they are all such amazing quality tunes with such depth to them that it is unbelievable. Every time you listen to this CD you seem to pick up on something you had missed on a previous listen, meaning that you never tire of the album and every listen is one of utter astonishment. Once again Tsunami Bomb have produced the goods and made a superb album that I won’t be putting down for a long while yet.
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Say No More Demo
This is the first Demo from Maidstone band Say No More and is a really promising first effort. The band have been together for just over a year, but they only played their first gig at the end of March and so far have only played about three gigs in total so they are still in the early stages of development really. This is a 4 track Demo showing off the bands fine Pop Punk which draws influence most notably from Blink182.
The Demo kicks off with the Intro, which starts the CD off in a Hardcore fashion and is closely followed by the bands first track of the CD, ‘Come Home.’ There is definitely a Tom DeLonge influence to the vocals in this track, with some strong drum beats, amazing guitar riffs, and some smooth bass lines which finish the track off nicely. This is a well put together first track for the Demo which gets you in the mood for more. The band then moves on to the second track, ‘Careless.’ This is another good track and the band continues to impress with their, fast, funky pop punk. Again, the drumming is really strong and makes the song sound truly amazing – concluding with a smart drum solo that will almost certainly have you tapping your feet to. This is probably one of my favourite tracks from the Demo and it really does go down a treat. The band just sound amazing on this track and you’d never believe that they’ve only been together just over a year and played a mere three gigs.
‘Where’s Dad’ is the third track on the CD and the band carry on their full on assault of good quality Punk Rock that you can see yourself dancing to at a gig. This truly is another classic track from the band and is proof hat they will one day be something quite special. If they can do this after a year of being together and barely any gigs then in a few years time there is no reason why they shouldn’t be one of the leading bands in the scene. They have definitely got talent and really show it off on this Demo. ‘One Last Word’ is no exception to the rule as the band finish the CD off nicely with another serving of Punk Rock. This is a nice little number to end the CD with as it is a top quality tune and the band as always really do sound good on it. The instrumental side of this track sounds spot on, as do the vocals – it really is a genius tune and I am sure that the band are really proud of what they have produced here.
Say No More are by no means perfect, but they have definitely got something good going here and have plenty of stuff they can work on to improve their sound and continue to grow as a band. After a first Demo you can generally see whether a band is going to work or not, and on the basis of this Demo, Say No More are certainly going to work long term and end up being something truly astounding one day. They have the basics and have definitely got talent so there is no reason why the band shouldn’t go on to achieve greater things in the scene. I’m really looking forward to hearing what the band come up with next as I truly believe that they have a bright future ahead of them.
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Whitmore – Solstice Rise
Ok, I have to admit I have never really been a very big fan of Whitmore as in the past I have always found them pretty cheesy and wasn’t at all impressed with their last album on Moon Ska. However, I did find myself quite enjoying them last year at one of their gigs and they were sounding pretty fresh so I went into listening to this album truing to forget my previous judgements of the band.
For the most part this is quite a good album with a lot of good tunes and a few I recognise from their live shows and the good points definitely outweigh the bad points. I have never really liked Jay’s drumming but on this album it really seems to shine through and sounds amazing. He has definitely upped his game and is now drumming confidently and sounding sublime for it. This is definitely an area the band have improved on and definitely deserve credit for it as the first few times I saw them live I felt that the drumming was really letting the band down and making them sound worse than they really are. One of the tracks I feel has really come together well on this CD with drums, guitars, bas, and vocals all sounding perfect is ‘Flicking The Bean.’ This track has a bit of a Ska vibe and the band drive through it frantically making way for an awesome tune that would definitely get the pit moving and the Ska kids skanking. I like the feel of this tune and think that it is probably one of the greatest songs the band have ever produced.
The track that kicks the CD off, ‘Too Long Too Late’ is another amazing tune. It has a great vibe, and could easily become a hit with its extreme bounce and exciting feel. It is an energetic opener for the CD and really gets you in the mood for another helping of Whitmore. Again, the drumming on this track is awesome and the band really are sounding a lot better for their newfound drumming ability. The band probably couldn’t have picked a better tune to kick start the CD as this Punk little number really hypes you up for more. Another tune I feel has come out well is ‘Fighting For Today.’ This track really does sound great and it definitely feels like the band are putting their all into it. Whitmore really seem to be enjoying their music now and their music seems to have been given an injection of life and excitement.
If you have not been a fan of this band in the past the I still think you ought to check this CD out as I wasn’t a fan before hearing this CD but it has definitely converted me with its exciting, upbeat tracks which are sure to put a smile on the face of many people across the country. It is definitely an improvement on previous material they have released and as time goes on the band are definitely getting better and gelling better as a band. They’ve always been better than Uncle Brian ever were or ever will be, but this new album has taken the band onto a whole new level.
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