As much as instant slavery of ears goes down a treat with us offerings which take their time to blossom and accelerate their temptation are just as enjoyable. Think Or Be, the new EP from British trio Tailblock manages to be as good as both. It is a six track roar which easily grabbed the appetite from its first attack but only grew and flourished with greater and in turn keener attention play by play. High praise took to its predecessor couple years back and it is unlikely it will be a stranger this time around either.
Hailing from Dartford in Kent and emerging in 2016, Tailblock released debut EP, Burn Your Bridges, at the close of that first year. It was produced by Ian Sadler (Anavae, Roam), who returns to add his touch to Think Or Be, and as said earned numerous plaudits. Inspirations to the band include the likes of Glassjaw, Hundred Reasons, Rival Schools, and Reuben and it is the latter which most comes to mind in varying shades across the new EP. Even so, the threesome of Jak Coleman (bass guitar/backing vocals), Martyn Kingsmill (drums/percussion/backing harmonies), and Gary Ptaszek (guitar/lead vocals) hold their own individuality in a release which sees their post hardcore nurtured sound much more assured, diverse, and adventurous than in that first encounter.
The EP opens up with its title track and an immediately insistent tide of riffs and rhythms from which a delicious hook springs to quickly be joined by the strong tones of Ptaszek. In no time it is a rousing roar, even in its calmer moments a spirit sparking incitement from within which that infernal hook has ears and lust dangling.
It is a seriously infectious and muscular start to the release firmly backed up by Heavy Arms. The band’s latest single it too teases and tempts with a hook which just gets under the skin, this time the band using it from the first second to nag and tempt. There is a more controlled gait to the song and a swing which had the body moving in unison, Jamie Lenman and co an easy comparison to its opening infection. There is also an underlying volatility which does not quite ignite but definitely adds a great feral quality around the pure catchiness of the song. A mix of pop, punk, and alternative rock, the track is thick contagion with the backing vocals of Coleman and Kingsmill as potent as Ptaszek’s lead and all three’s musical prowess.
Rocket follows quickly establishing its heavier presence as the wires of the guitar and throbbing lines of the bass surround the thumping beats of Kingsmill. It too has a catchiness which cannot fail to incite feet but did miss the particular spark of its predecessor for our ears. Its emotive edge though is a strong hue, an increasingly persuasive one which leaves nothing on the table within the ferocious Blisters. A fiery attitude soaked offering as inescapably catchy as it is imposingly aggressive it soon steals favourite track honours especially with its melodically seductive climax.
The EP concludes with firstly Listen, a song rising from a rockabilly-esque temptation to another emotionally charged yet controlled saunter. Even so its melancholic elegance erupts in moments of sonic fire with its mercurial landscape a ride of heart bred turbulence and tenacious enterprise. Its successor, 100, similarly has a great unpredictable air and touch to its character, acoustic coaxing and vocal reflection leading to melodic infection and spirited release in emotion and sound.
It is a fine end to a proposition which grows and further impresses by the listen. From the start we rather liked it, now it is one we fiercely recommend. There can never be another Reuben, one of our all-time loves at The RR, but in their own distinct way that gap just might be filled by Tailblock; Think Or Be suggests so.
Think Or Be is released July 13th digitally and on CD.
https://www.facebook.com/tailblockband
Pete RingMaster 05/07/2018
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
Recorded with Matt Hyde (Funeral For A Friend, Bullet For My Valentine, Slipknot), Our Future’s Not Dead is likely to spark another bout of attention and hunger for Brightlight City, setting out its persuasive strength with opener It Depends On You. Skittish beats alongside vocal and guitar offered temptation bring the song into focus; their low key yet agitated attitude soon a full roar as vocalist Jamie Giarraputo heads a web of melodic enterprise from guitarists Jonathan Staunton and Justin Giarraputo, the latter adding his own potent vocal expression to the mix. Anthemic in heart, imposing in rhythm as the hefty jabs of drummer Ben Bell court the brooding lines of bassist Tom Stock, the track roars with energy and passion.
The band lays a tight grip on ears and appetite straight way with opener Corrosive, needing little time to tempt both as swinging beats and an instantly grumbling bassline starts things off. Angular strikes of guitar and group snarls behind the inviting tones of Conor swiftly join the affair and increase the infectiousness already sparking the senses. Smooth slips into mellower moments and discord kissed twists leads to a seriously rousing chorus, all the time an intensity and volatility seemingly lying in wait, eager to erupt but instead simply adding great depth to the song and enterprise persuading ears; when it does escape a great Reuben-esque feel flows through the track, ending in a scintillating finale which in tone continues into the song’s successor.
The potent expanse of diversity within the album is soon beginning to reveal itself with What If. From vocals to sound, it carries a rockabilly meets melodic rock ingenuity which simply seduces as the track, with the bass on the front foot, prowls ears. Hooks litter every lure of the song’s invitation whilst a virulence of emotive and creative dexterity infests the imagination and psyche. As its predecessor, the track is aural gold and an unstoppable manipulation of the body and listener participation, much as Not The Face which follows straight after. It too is quickly in command, its buoyant infectiousness aligned to imposing aggression and anthemic tenacity with a Billy Talent like resourcefulness to it all.
The band’s sound fuses essences of post-punk, industrial, Synth-pop and post-rock to really simplify its tapestry, with influences arising from bands such as NIN, Interpol, Rammstein, Sonic Youth, and Smashing Pumpkins. It is a fusion which potently gripped attention through the first pair of releases in the four EP project. Both Supplication and Devotion revealed an evolution in the band’s sound with a fresh thick web of textures to that within the band’s album, whilst exploring the theme of love and sex in their destructive form across their songs. That growth has continued with Desolation, its tracks inspired by a look at death and the human condition. As to the timeline of songwriting between the EPs we cannot say but there feels a new maturity to the band’s latest EP which not only seriously ignites ears but offers the potential of even bolder and deeper things ahead.
The release opens with new single The Finish Line, and instantly sparkling guitar bait is sunning itself in the imagination as rhythms provide a sturdy and darker company. The vocals of Jamie Giarraputo similarly are a warm and vibrant invitation, nestling perfectly in the weave of enterprise cast by guitarists Justin Giarraputo and Jono Staunton. The track strolls along with an endearing quality and a catchiness which really sparks in the addictive chorus whilst the resonating bass of Dan Stubberfield adds further potent magnetism alongside the punchy beats of Ben Bell which punctuate all the hooks and melodies with relish.
Simmons and Dan Moloney. There is also a pop punk contagion to the stride and chorus of the encounter, offering a dynamism lacking in the last song which in turn feeds a new energy in the craft of the band. The vocals of Moloney also have a new lease of life, ably backed by the rest of the band in a three pronged harmonic adventure.