Absent Kid’s rocket to the stars is still on the drawing board, but the blue-prints are looking good at this early stage and if there’s enough fuel in the tanks it should eventually clear Earth without any problems.
A five-piece from Colchester, the ‘Scatter Photos and Relive Bloodloss’ 3-track EP is only their second recorded effort. Benefiting from proper studio time and a producer, their sound, while not yet distinctive, promises much. Sonically, they’re reminiscent of ‘Everything’s Alright Forever’ era Boo Radleys, working the ‘quiet/loud/quiet’ formula to great effect. The lead vocals also share some of Sice’s softness, adding a welcome contrast to the dominant guitar laden backdrop.
First track ‘Quiet Playground’ grows menacingly, building up from its opening atmospherics to bass and muted guitar, eventually giving way to the full force of a meaty instrumental segue (that could have come from some track by The Southern Death Cult). The lyrics are enigmatic and brooding, offering respite for the alienated and lonely: ‘The quiet playground's been reserved, / For those of us who won’t be heard, / Shout it out, no response, / Please don't all talk at once’.
‘Eyes of The Exit’ is a rallying cry for seizing the moment as, ‘In thirty years from now, / We'll all be washed up and worn out’. Musically it has the punchy, riffing delivery of those Emo bands from over the Atlantic but still manages to retain a pleasing aroma of BritIndie freshness.
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Third and final track ‘Another Year/Same Questions’ is more whimsical in tone, the opening lyric and delivery reminding me (bizarrely) of The Beatles’ ‘A Day In The Life’: ‘The morning news left me confused today’. In terms of melody and structure it’s Absent Kid’s most mature song, displaying the band’s ability to add a degree of subtlety and texture to the chug-chugging guitar.
It’s an approach that they should try and develop further as it gives their sound another dimension.
Overall, a promising effort. If they can recreate live the power and delivery of the songs on this EP then Absent Kid should build a strong following. The song-writing is still in its infancy but there are pleasing signs that they can mix it up a bit which, in the long-run, will help to pull them away from the pack.
www.absentkid.co.uk
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