| CD REVIEW The Living Daylights |
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Band: The Living Daylights Formed in August 2007 by former members of MCD, Rides The Bus, Anaylisis Failed, The Frontline, and Firin’ Blanx (in their current line-up comprising lead singer Sam Cook, guitarists/ backing singers Matt Hendry & Alex Johnson, bassist Kurt Colman, and drummer Dan Brogan), this Lincoln (UK) based Pop Punk band immediatelly set to play a countless amount of shows. Ten weeks into their existence, they recorded the 5 songs which were to be the make up of their selftitled, self-release EP, issued in January 2008. Tours in the UK and over Europe [resulting in the fivesome reaching audiences and making fans in Italy, France, Belgium (Groezrock festival, no less!), Germany, Austria, and Slovenia…while sharing stages with the likes of Smoke Or Die, Rentokil, Sundowner, Mike Park, Failsafe, From Plan To Progress, The Leif Ericsson, and then some] followed, as well as radio airplay on different radio stations worldwide (including Radio One’s Lock Up show) and positive press reactions from Big Cheese Magazine, Punktastic, Rocksound, and others worldwide. In August 2008 the band again jumped into a studio (with Peter Miles, producer of the likes of Sonic Boom Six, Captown, and King Blues) to record the 12 tracks of the Ways To Escape album for the Fond Of Life label (issued the album in the UK as far back as October 2008) and which, if I’m reading things right, was released simultaneously through Italy’s No Reason and Japan’s Fastlife in December 2008. Progressive Publicity is now aiding the boys to give the album the kind of promotion it deserves on a worldwide scale! Because the band’s straight-forward Fun Pop Punk is rather catchy from start to finish, and will surely leave little Punk Rock fans unmoved…as well as music lovers normally into other stuff! The album having been out there for so long already, the quintet’s already gathered quite a few reviews, seeing their music compared differently depending on the reviewer’s viewpoint: “…4 Ft Fingers/ early Short Warning…Rise Against, Hot Water Music & The Bouncing Souls…” (Punktastic); “…you can hear bands like Rise Against, Strike Anywhere, and Milloy although…TLD have their own unique sound…” (Mild Peril Fanzine), with additional comparisons in the case of a couple of the songs…but what all of them have in common, is an admiration for the band’s melodic sing-along Punk Rock...which mày be typified for not exactly being very intricate, but certainly is catchy. I’ve been listening to the promo copy we were sent on a loop, while being occupied with little chores in the house, looking into my research on the band, and putting everything together for the review…and I have to say there isn’t óne song on this 12-track album which is less in any way compared to the others! Not óne which deters the listener in any way, nor does the album give the listener a feeling of boredom…but that may depend on whom’s listening, of course!!! Check it all out by surfing to myspace.com/thelivingdaylights, where you’ll not only find 3 tracks off the album alongside 2 off the debut EP…and if you’ve come in contact with the band’s music on the EP and didn’t like the Ramones-alike backing chants, those have now gone! By the time you’re reading this, the band will already have travelled through Belgium and Holland for a 10-day trip (in early March). During April they’ll be playing some UK gigs, followed by a short tour in support of Canada’s High Five Drive (7 UK gigs followed by 8 shows in France, Spain, and Switzerland) in early May. But don’t worry if you’ve missed the band coming through our region in March. There’s talks about additional European touring in May with Antillectual and Rentokil, and with The Fall Through (formerly Once Over) during July. The band also plans to do several European headlining tours during Summer…but when I last looked nothing was confirmed yet! Check out the band’s MySpace page on a regular basis! 85/100 Tony. |