Source: EP Artwork
Looking to jump on the bagwagon of being a band with twins in are Forty Four Hours. Are the trio, who are set to drop EP Only Just Holding On, destined to become the next Biffy Clyro or Bee Gee’s?
Well, opener ‘Hold Out’ holds bags of promise for the Mancs. Alternative riffs reek of Biffy, while the melodies and gang vocals scream Mallory Knox in their pomp. The track is not all the workings of their peers, though. It has an abundance of funk, while the addition of a piano makes proves to be a sonic masterstroke. It’s all rather catchy as well. ‘Difficult’ sees the tempo and the trio’s game raised – albeit on some parts rather than others. The verses offer a chance to shake off the festive indulgences with an air of sprightliness, however, the chorus feels like the energy has been zapped out.
The mood takes a dip when ‘Pressure And Sleep’ clouds over with a self-loathing that causes wounds as deep as the stabbing riffs. While the introspection is a positive, it fails to truly ignite.
It is clear that the three-piece can write an alternative pop-rock track. Despite the erratic melodic notes, what they really lack is originality. Far too often they sound like a watered down version of others in the scene. Final ditty ‘The Time And Place’ proves that point. Jerky riffs dripping with melody are rife throughout while the chorus soars, but it sounds like Mallory Knox-by-numbers.
Only Just Holding On is a fairly decent EP that teeters on the unremarkable. There is enough on show, though, that suggests they can make a fist of things in the future.
