Queensbury - Breakdown [EP]

Self Released

August 25, 2009, 07:43 PM

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There's definitely something in the water down Wales way. Those guys love to rock, and a bunch of them do it well enough to grab some serious attention (and record sales) from the rest of Britain and beyond. Queensbury are the next lot in line hoping to 'do a Funeral' with Breakdown, their debut EP.

And it's straight to business with 'Train' as the band clearly set out their stall as a full on, good old fashioned rock band. These guys aren't short on experience (or tattoos for that matter) having been in various groups over the past fifteen years or so and it tells in the well defined sections and tidy performances put in by all.

Next song 'Cut It Up' is even heavier and would be a killer soundtrack to a bar fight. Again, the vocals are interesting and clean and the guitar playing is taut and controlled with nice breaks. The form continues into third track 'Barren Landscape' and slower number 'This Town', which is shamelessly knocking on the radio programmers door.

The production is impeccable throughout, which is a real relief as everything on the recording, production and mixing side of things was done by Mr.Altsounds himself, our very own Chris Maguire. No, no, I'm not just sucking up here - this is the good stuff and you won't hear better on any Lostprophets (or whoever) album, no matter how much money they pump into it.

The only real let down is that the influences are too readily worn without enough of Queensbury's own character shining through to distinguish these songs as truly theirs. The nuances of individual voice that tend to define a band's overall sound are inconsistent throughout the EP, leaning too heavily on thebands they are trying to emulate. The upshot is the listener might well find themselves playing a game of spot the guest vocalist. But hey, it's a first EP and this sounds to me like a live band waiting to happen at you. With a bit more time spent hammering out their songs on the road they could well go back into the studio looking to make an album with new impetus.

Queensbury then - accomplished and professional but if they want to make any real lasting impression then they better start fighting dirty.

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