If any young band starting out was ever told that hard work will, in time, pay off, then they should look toward Southcott for the greatest shining example of that being exactly the case. Here's a group of guys from New York who spent a couple of years developing a solid rock-and roll style, and are finally making it known with the February release of their new album, Flee the Scene. While any direct puns on the album title will be avoided hereafter in this review, one can imagine how intimidating a scene like the one currently gripping the music community could be for a band like Southcott, where any five-guy band from the east coast boasting catchy hooks and clever chords is likely to be greeted by a fanbase insisting they've seen and heard all that before.
Not Southcott. The band has, since its inception, been working within the music community instead of against it, keeping their name known on the message boards and maintaining personal relationships with each and every fan. The enthusiasm seen in this band is absolutely inspiring. Nothing is more gratifying than listening to a band's music and knowing that they are direly in love with each and every note of it.
With this sort of work ethic and passion, it's not too much of a mystery how the band began to achieve moderate success even before the release of their album. Signing with two outstanding record labels�Rust Records and Less Avenged�the band has treated their debut full-length with the excited fervency with which an established artist treats his masterpiece. And there is little doubt why. This album does what every pop-punk band claims to try to do, but it actually does it... the catchiness of pop rock with the undeniable edge of rock and roll. This, in my opinion, places the band alongside tristate buddies Tokyo Rose in my acclaim for new releases in this genre.
Each song on this album is heartfelt, clever, and explosive. There are some points on the record where I feel like the band tried to experiment with their style but didn't quite break from it properly, which still leaves them with a fantastic Southcott-styled song and a goal for their next record, which will no doubt be even better than this one.
With all that this band has accomplished, there is very little doubt why Southcott has been such a buzz word these past couple of months. As this band continues to tour and release, the unbreakable spirit of independent bands making it big will continue with them, and the music we're presented will only get even more impressive.
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R.S. '06 |
