30-01-2010Album reviews - Hope & State
Grand Gestures - Out Now
Hope & State hail from London but come with a sound that is usually attributed to the other side of the pond. A raw punk rock edge mixed with a blues tinged Americana gives 'Grand Gestures' a similar feel to The Gaslight Anthem's 'Senor And The Queen' debut EP rather than that of a punk rock cockney quartet.
The first song London, Oh London is a homage to the scenic background of the nations capital rather than parks of New York and shows potential in the bands ability to deliver a good time feel with their solid rock and roll vibe. The band state that their musical intent is fashioned upon a social conscious which is helpful as the very nature of this bands sound is to provide a backdrop for a story to be told.
Vocally Imran Siddiqi has ta raw edge to his voice that has steely grit and shows potential, especially if he masters the melodic vocal. It appear to be coming with 'At The Sight Of You' which has a familiarity to its styling, like a mix somewhere between The Starting Line and Saves The Day. Culminating in a breakdown dance off moment a la The Gaslight Anthem this song is one amongst others on the EP which highlights Hope & State's abilities.
'The Ever True' again has that early punk pop vibe hanging proudly from a chain around it's neck. With the namesake mentioned 'Jimmy on the radio' the sound of the guitars come like something from one of the greatest albums of all times, Jimmy Eat Worlds 'Clarity.' However for some reason the vocals just don't sit quite right within the mix and it's a shame because the simplistic nature of the hook really could be set alight with a soaring vocal line.
'Grand Gestures' or 'Safest Of Lies' as it is called on my player instantly has me thinking of the Fall Out Boy song 'Thanks For The Memories' with its similar pulsating rhythms and the use of the punk rock guitars to build up a dynamic that is universally well reciprocated. 'Change is Constant' is an added bonus track for the digital release and you can tell why its inclusion is as a bonus. Clearly different in style from its opening it has a darker, more brooding feel before the guitars ring through into a post hardcore style. As the chorus rings through I'm left visioning Thursday's 'Jet Black New Year' and it continues into the verse. The song is more frantic and tinged a darker shade than the previous four, like the evil twin locked away from the rest of the family.
All in all this is a solid debut effort. There are numerous indicators that there is potential there. Hope & State understand the structures required to make a good rendition of a sound so current ad fashionable at this moment in time. This EP's main flaw is it's production, at times it sounds too DIY and the mix can become lackluster. It's a real shame because Hope & State have too many big rock sensibilities or ambitions rather than punk inclinations for the rawness of a recording to actually add something. The Gaslight Anthem produced two wholly different sounding albums between the punk supreme of 'Sink or Swim' and the mega slick folk Americana of 'The '59 Sound' and to me this is the conundrum facing Hope & State. They need to find someone who can document their sound exactly right and capture that moment perfectly without genre blending, I'm sure it will come with time,although whilst we wait I can see these songs transcending into their live form quite emphatically.
