MAKE NO GAINS - SEVERED TIES
It's not hard to tell who MNG's favourite bands are. Their love for Propagandhi and Dillinger Four shine through on almost every track of this six song cassette. For the most part this is not a bad thing, but at times I feel like they're a little too comfortable in their gruff-angsty-20 something-dude approach to pop punk.
The songs themselves strike a great balance between frustrated raw energy and sing-along pop hooks, but where their predecessors shine lyrically Make No Gains seem to fall short. They play it safe singing about shitty jobs and apathy without ever mentioning a solution to these first world problems.
In a scene where most bands put out a handful of lo-fi shotty demos before moving onto better quality recordings, Make No Gains stand out. Their decision to dish out the time/money/energy on recording with James O'Toole at Echo Chamber was definitely the right move. The production suits the songs perfectly and somehow emphasizes the urgency and intensity of Severed Ties.
All that being said, This album will make great christmas present for your angsty-teenage-sister, or your still-parties-too-much-wierd-uncle.
$4/Cassette
Download this e.p. here.
- Rob Banks
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