Welcome to the exciting world of Mosh’s Face the Jury. If you don’t know the premise by now then let us explain. Each week (or so) we pick a random selection of tracks from the emails which are sent through. These tracks then get sent to a random selection of our staff who let us know their thoughts.
Will the team find their new favourite tracks, or is it just the rubbish that’s left behind? It’s time to Face the Jury!
This City Limits – Too scared to swim
Madison: Everyone and their mother in Britain right now is in a band that’s producing music sounding exactly like this. It’s not bad— far from it, as this track is very well put together, but it’s certainly nothing new. However, if you like Young Guns and You Me At Six, and intend to fill your music library with bands that sound exactly the same then This City Limits are definitely for you. 2/5
Mitch: Having recently reviewed this very single, it’s pretty cool to look back on it and see if my mind has changed about it. The answer is no. I still think this is an excellent example of cliche done right and without shame. It’s pure Pop-Punk and wears it’s badge with pride. Catchy, memorable and excellently executed, I’m still loving this! 4/5
Sam: This track straddles the upbeat, chirpy sounds pop-punk alongside those slow, tense moments we usually hear from alt-rock, both of which give the song a pretty decent foundation to work with. However, ‘Too Scared to Swim’ is a little too stop-start for my liking, with plenty of opportunities for a more seamless flow between verses, choruses and instrumentals; unfortunately, these little gaps here and there make the song a tiny bit awkward and clunky in parts. 2.5/5
Emma: For some reason, odd parts of this track take me back to A Day To Remember’s latest album Common Courtesy – the little oozes of a progressive happy-go-lucky nature around 30 seconds in just embody parts of their modern work. Other than that, the track carries an alternative rock formula that has been around for years. Bits of guitar distortion, upbeat vocals and a music video that centres around a young, troubled girl whilst rocking out in a darkened room. C’mon, I know this stuff works and sounds awesome, but we’ve seen it all before. 3/5
Madison: I’m not the biggest fan of anything heavier than Bring Me The Horizon’s select softer side, but I can definitely appreciate that Bullet For My Valentine are titans in their genre. I actually didn’t even mind listening to this song either, which must count for something! The vocals are on point, as expected, and its got some killer riffs so it’s good in my book. 4/5
Mitch: BFMV have never really set my world on fire, with most of their stuff being a little too samey for my own personal tastes, with this tune being no different. The idea of not fixing something if it isn’t broke pretty much sums up what I feel is on offer, but this almost feels too strongly stuck to the band’s formula, with not much in the way of any progression. It’s not bad that I would avoid it at all costs, but it’s not going to be finding its way onto my I-Pod any time soon. 2.5/5
Sam: With every new single, show and album announcement, the hype surrounding Bullet For My Valentine’s return after a lengthy disappearance just keeps getting bigger. With new song ‘Army of Noise’, there’s no doubt fans are about to pee their pants just a little bit more because this track basically sounds exactly how we’d expect Bullet For My Valentine to sound. It’s fast and melodic, chock-full of furious riffs and epic vocal runs – perhaps a little softer than we’ve heard them in the past, and definitely nothing too outside the box, but this offering is still sure to satisfy. 3/5
Emma: When Temper Temper came out in 2013, I was left a very disappointed BFMV fan. There was no punch, no badass riffs – nothing mind blowing. I wondered if the Bullet I knew and loved had disappeared. Two years later, with a new bassist in toe, they’re BACK. Each track the guys have released from Venom so far has blown my mind. ‘Army of Noise’ is no different. Its so bloodthirsty and heavy to the core. From its binary moments and earth shattering screams, its just pure naughtiness. The band are back to their old roots and are sounding the best they have in years. 4/5
Nothing but thieves – Honey whiskey
Madison: My first impression? Brilliant. So, as it continued it only managed to have more of an effect on me. I know these guys supported Young Guns not too long ago, so it was a shock to hear this— definitely not what I expected at all. Catchy melody? Check! Incredible vocal range from lead singer? Check! What I’m not surprised about now is how many people I’ve heard singing their praises! 5/5
Mitch: Chilled out pop-rock with a splattering of indie sensibility is what’s on offer here, the closest comparison being Muse if they made a chill-out record in conjunction with Juniper (unless you’re an Irish Hipster from the 90’s, you may need to look that one up). Nice and easy on the ears without being coma-inducing, the perfect soundtrack to cooking a 100% Rock & Roll Sunday Lunch. 3.5/5
Sam: There is something about this track that just oozes cool. It’s wonderfully mellow, without being dull or monotonous; the continual riff is brilliantly funky, without becoming cheesy or repetitive; there are some touches of synth that give it a great vibe, without overpowering the other elements of the song. ‘Honey Whiskey’ strikes some great balances, and is perfect for a feel-good chill out session. 4/5
Emma: Nothing But Thieves should be called craftsmen, not musicians. From the get go, the track carries so many beautiful layers that really intrigue me. The vocals are angelic and the percussion is tame and sexy. Whilst its not the usual bold and fierce alternative rock we’re used to at MOSH, it has a place to be admired. The band’s approach is subtle, without being boring. 4/5
Madison: The lead singer’s voice grated on me, so it was a bit difficult to hear anything beyond that. When he wasn’t singing however, there were some pretty cool guitar licks and a very interesting 70’s vibe to the whole thing. It’s not the best, but it’s not awful either once you get stuck in. If it’s the kind of thing you’re used to listening to, you definitely won’t have a problem. 2/5
Mitch: It’s like a Tom Delonge project trying to combine Brit-Pop and Pop-Rock, with all the balls taken from the mixture. What could of been a track dripping with atmosphere and emotion sadly falls just that bit short of the mark, which is a shame really. 2/5
Sam: ‘Confusion’ is a pretty simple song; there’s not much to say about the actual audio alone. Sure, it does a good job of giving a subtle yet anthemic feel to what is, essentially, pop rock, and it manages to have a strong, robust sound without being too overwhelming or in-your-face. But, musically, it’s pretty nondescript – that is, until we come to the vocals. There is a beautiful, throaty tone to The Retrospects’ vocals, which have an earthy, raw sound that seems to come unusually naturally. This distinctive voice is what really picks up the slack with this track. 3/5
Emma: This one is a bit of an odd ball. It manages to tick the boxes of all the indie rock traits you’d expect to see in a track. It packs raw musicianship and has a music video that of course has a sepia overload. So how does it manage to remain so very boring? Yes, its very ‘summer holiday soundtrack’ like, but even in a festival field with thousands of people singing, I’d still be bored. *Yawn*.2/5
Madison: The intro to this track is very beautifully composed, leading right in to what is, without a doubt, a decent rock song that sticks out from the crowd. There’s a lot going on in the chorus and it sounds a little confused, but otherwise it’s solid— a tune that can lead the way for a band like this. It’s a bit indie so might not appeal to certain rock fans but I’m certainly down with it. 4/5
Mitch: The indie is strong in this one, dripping with Brit-Pop and British Indie-Rock influence being about as subtle as a cricket bat to the bollocks. Don’t get me wrong, there is clearly some excellent musicianship on show here, with some of the most twiddliest of twiddly guitars and a wonderfully tight sound that pushes through the dynamic of the band, but the energy that could (and should) be there just feels absent. A great premise for a tune, but it all feels a little hollow. I’m going to keep an eye on these guys though, as it would be great to see if, as a live outfit, that energy proves itself to have just been lost in the studio. 2.5/5
Sam: I’d bet that there was some serious indecisiveness among Escapists when it came to the musical direction of this track, and that comes across in the song’s mish-mash of sounds. ‘Eat You Alive’ has some solid guitar moments and a cool, catchy drum beat that could be the makings of a solid rock track; however, it’s a little too flimsy to really flourish, with the echoing vocals and atmospheric vibe taking us down a more whimsical, alt-pop route that weakens it somewhat. Directionally, it’s neither here nor there, and that’s the downfall of ‘Eat You Alive’. 2.5/5
Emma: The first thing I thought when listening to this track is that it could easily be a Made In Chelsea track. I can just imagine it playing in the background whilst images of cocktails and fast cars overlay. The track carries a very DIY attitude with a grunge infusion. The latter guitar sections are very fast paced and pretty cool, but prior to that its a bit lacklustre.3/5
