Hundred Reasons - 'Quick The Word Sharp The Action' [Album/Re-release]

Self Released

The easy going, never-fail-to-impress catchy kings of rock are back with this impressive sixteen track album 'Quick The Word Sharp The Action'. Hundred Reasons always confuse me with an ever changing amount of members. It may just be a distinct lack of attention span but I'm sure there only used to be four members? Anyway, they are currently running with five, and they gel together like custard and a cheeky apple pie. According to the inner booklet of the albums packaging, the album was recorded in Riga, Latvia, as the band wanted somewhere interesting to create their fourth album.

"Oh yeah, I know this guy who uses a studio in Russia or something ... Latvia? ... somewhere in Poland, anyway.
He says its wicked."

A good choice evidently, as the venue must have given Hundred Reasons alot of influence and drive to produce a quality rock record. Going into the studio they had only a couple of tracks written, nothing finalised and they were the least prepared for a fourth album. All credit goes out to an english rock band working hard and doing what they do best, well done.

For those of you confused as to why 'Quick The Word Sharp The Action' is being reviewed in 2009 as it was released in October '07, reason: it's a re-release. This is due their label being bought out by one of the massive brain controlling top guns Universal. So again the band where left with no label. But here we are with the re-release and it's cracking.

Short and sweet has always been an attractive approach to writing songs, Hundred Reasons keep 'Quick The Word Sharp The Action' to a maximum of 4:16 and a min of 2:07. Maybe something in the title suggests a fast pace album? As with all Hundred Reasons tracks, you inevitably pick up the lyrics faster than Husein Bolt in the Olympics. Those of you remembering their singles "Falter", "If I Could" and "Silver" back in 2002 will know how easy they are to pick up. With basic drum patterns and some lovely high pitched riffs 'Quick The Word Sharp The Action' really gets going on track two; "No Way Back" featuring the husky lead vocals we have grown to love from Colin Doran. This guy makes you so jealous, he has such a cool voice, yet when you try to emulate yourself (oh yes, i definitely have) you just end up with a damn sore throat. Throughout the album Colin and guitarist Larry Hibbitt switch between each other on their own and harmonizing. Shown very clearly in the chorus for "Sick Little Masquerade", it's spine-tingling-ley fresh. A friend of mine said "Yeh they always seem to have a messed up, crazy track on their albums". And they do. "Pernavas lela" is a sort of instrumental chilled out track with simple synth and talking in the background, but this isn't the crazy one. "The Shredder" follows up, by "shredding" your ears with some heavy guitar scraping, shouted vocals and some crazy glitch style drumming.

The album ends with four bonus tracks, two of which are acoustic, that are in the words of Sebastien Teliier "Devine". These tracks show off the pure vocal talent of Colin and Larry. "A Little Way Back" is track two off the album "No Way Back", minus the drums but with abit of maraca instrumentation. Same goes for the last track "The Prance", just pure vocal and acoustic harmony featuring an organ type synth that sounds great.

If your a fan of the old Hundred Reasons then you will love this album to bits, they have their own style and have stuck to it with a little more progression than their first album 'Ideas Above Our Station'. If your new, listen, admire, adore the satisfaction/realisation that there are actually proper english rock bands still out there making good music.