EVACUEES - THE TIME I KILL IS KILLING ME (UNSIGNED)
EVACUEES - THE TIME I KILL IS KILLING ME (UNSIGNED)
Forming from the members of various local bands, Bath based Evacuees haven’t exactly had the odds stacked in their favour from the off. The risk of combining parts of different bands that played different genres and ultimately broke up for a reason and hoping it will pay off is high. Luckily for them, they seem to have pinched the best parts from each one.
Opener ‘Miss Guided’ showcase what the band do best. Their punchy simple rock and roll yet with an edge is a breath of fresh air in a music scene that is all about the extremes nowadays. Vocalist Dean Bryant’s commanding voice is suited to this style to T, as he is not only able to work the melancholy softly sung verses well but isn’t afraid to give it some attitude come the chorus.
On the other side of the coin that is Evacuees is lead single ‘Da Vinci’ which takes things down a step and displays this outfits other strength. As well as being able pull off the ‘everything to 11’ rock sound they can write a damn good ballad. But also more importantly pull it off. Back up vocal duties by bassist Joe Daly combined with the accompanying piano only sweetens the deal.
Thing’s get picked back up again by the haunting ‘Grounded’ which provides some of the heaviest and ambitious moments on the record. It works well and keeps the record flowing, with some soaring choruses.
The EP finishes off with ‘Escape Song’ much like ‘Da Vinci’ starts as a down tempo affair before building then greeting you with guitars under heavy distortion at the chorus. It’s easily Bryant’s best vocal performance and is the reason this EP isn’t just good – It’s bloody good.
Those with a keen ear will be able to appreciate the level of musicianship that has gone into this release. The layering of various instruments and it ultimately paying off is skill that they should be praised for. Production on the record wavers from the raw to the polished, and can struggle to do find its middle ground at times and sometimes ends up working against them.
The sky is the limit for this band at the moment, with a UK tour coming up later in the year and hopefully some more time to record where this band go from here is entirely up to them. But without a doubt they are one of the shining lights in a dreary local scene.
Rating - 4/5
Tom Reakes
