CLAP CLAP RIOT'S debut album 'Counting Spins' has been finished to an extremely high standard that demands respect. Any rock musician or rock fan knows that budgets are tight and sales are down so when a flawlessly produced album drops it's serious stuff.
I also vividly remember catching the members talking about how they financed the album by the dearest mother getting a bank loan which I had real respect for. To me, this album reeks of well spent money that is undeniably world-class. The actions of the young men to carve out such a strong album with a lot on the line is impressive. Pressure? Who needs it.
From the Kasabian-esque guitar tone and thundering bass drum of opening track "Holiday" a dynamic rock sound erupts from my speakers. For a second it causes me to abruptly think about Clap Clap Riot as a band objectively. I personally believe it's important to note they're original and the direction they choose is not strictly commercial or alternative but somewhat an anomaly in music. I'm not saying that all NZ bands aren't original but touching upon the that unique pieces of art in music aren't always truly realized.
I also think that being located so far away from any real music hot-spots globally NZ bands do have a tendency to follow instead of lead. However, the wickedly phased guitars and gated claps of "Moss-Haired Girl" are a testament to a band that flourishes under the imaginative pressures in the studio. Once in full swing "Moss-Haired Girl" really comes alive chugging along like a testosterone fueled Ozzfest at it's peak. The solid groove and playful lyrics I strongly believe would do well on radio (perhaps not an obvious pick but a strong one nevertheless).
|
The evocative lyrics of 'Counting Spins' also adds a great deal of weight to the LP making for a great aesthetic experience. My favorite track based on lyrics is 'Forget You'. Clearly a therapeutic break up song, the simple chorus "I won't forget you baby" really hits home. This song really has a strong feeling of emotion within it. By listening to the song I actually feel a feeling of genuine love in the singer's voice and that's maybe overly romantic but I definitely think that he's working out some heavy emotional issues because "he's so cold- so cold".
As a rock music fan I know that there is always a struggle to keep up with pop music's boundary-pushing production level standards. Maria and The Diamonds latest album and Katy Perry's music are a testament to the level of U.S and U.K's music production prowess. Fortunately, 'Counting Spins' is easily equal. It's first single 'So You Say' has achieved fantastic results of heavy rotation on all the major radio stations in NZ and storming the itunes rock charts for multiple weeks. Let's hope that's the shape of things to come for them.
|
