Relatives - Now Or Ever
by Anthony Dhanendran
published: 16 / 9 / 2002
Label:
Spank
Format: CD
intro
"Competent and appealing", if slightly over-rated heavy metal from much hyped Liverpudlians, the Relatives
Is it possible that the Relatives will do for British music today what the Beatles did 40 years ago, taking an American form (in this case metal rather than skiffle, though) and creating something new and different? It's a theory being touted around some music mags, on the strength of this, their debut album. It's certainly accomplished and the band are, as you'd expect, extremely tight and taut. But to place it at the head of a sweeping musical revolution would be to put a heavy weight on the shoulders of this young four-piece. It begins in formidable fashion, with the musical axe-murder of 'Everybody's Cynical' and moving on to the slightly lighter but every bit as good 'Big Soles For A Little Guy', which is more punk than metal. The following few tracks are uninspiring, but they're rescued by the more interesting '15 Minute Drive' with its engaging triple vocal, a device which always makes for a more interesting axe-experience, when you've got male and female vocals inter-shouting rather than just the one bloke going at it full pelt for an entire album. It's not a gimmick, though - it's used well and the song is good quality melodic metal. The album continues in similar fashion - it's nothing to set the world alight, but the whole thing shows a lot of potential and there's the spark of something great in there somewhere. If there's a complaint about it, it's that the obvious feeling behind the songwriting isn't always followed up in the finished songs - they can tend towards a more generic punk-metal sound than would seem to befit a band of their potential stature. Or perhaps I'm expecting too much of a simpler proposition, and the Relatives are perfectly happy to have produced a competent and appealing debut album.
Track Listing:-
1 Everybody's Cynical2 Big Sales For A Little Guy
3 Bite On The Hook
4 Now Or Ever
5 15 Minute Drive
6 Bowl Me Over
7 Found My Place
8 Menace
9 Advocate
10 Trevor's Influence
11 Triplex Sun
12 Miss Collector
most viewed articles
current edition
The Church - Interview with Steve KilbeySimon Heavisides - Destiny Stopped Screaming: The Life and Times of Adrian Borland
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.
Secret Shine - Interview
Vetchinsky Settings - Interview
Repomen - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Jack Roscoe - Interview
Near Jazz Experience - Interview
Sami Sumner - Interview
Flaming Stars - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Lewis 'Burner' Pugh - Bullets for BreadIan Hunter - Defiance Part 2: Fiction
Inutili - A Love Supreme
Kula Shaker - Natural Magick
Smalltown Tigers - Crush On You
Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Back in Time
My Life Story - Loving You is Killing Me
David Cross Band - Ice Blue Silver Sky
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
Ty Segall - Three Bells
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart