Local Town Heroes EP

When my friend Debbie N. first told me about the band, which had taken her in as a singer, I wasn’t exactly sure how serious this band’s intentions were. But now, I see they are very serious indeed. As a band comprised of sixteen and seventeen year olds, I’d say they are doing pretty well for themselves. Recorded over eight hours, their first EP is one fantastic piece of work – and you don’t have to pay a cent to listen. It’s free to hear on the band’s MySpace. I, however, received the EP in the post, complete with autographs within obscene drawings and suggestive jokes, along with apologies for the aforementioned drawings and jokes.

I’d heard the first track, ‘Drop C, Not Bombs’, a few times before, as a video has already been made for it – they aren’t doing too bad for themselves, are they? – yet I was not any less impressed with it for the sixth or seventh time that I listened to it, this time with lyrics to read off of. Yes, I have trouble understanding Scottish, albeit slightly Americanised accents. The one obvious thing about this song is the message – war is bad, basically. But this isn’t any hippie stuff. This is a song with a mighty large sound, complete with what can be basically described as ‘fast guitar playing’, in drop C, of course. The lyrical voice of Debbie proceeds to make you believe it’s capable of nothing but sweetness. Well, you’re in for a surprise there – this 5 ft 1 inch seventeen year old will make you raise your eyebrows in surprise as she begins screaming out “We will win this f***ing war!” Whether you’re into that or not, you must admit that it’s impressive.

Speaking of impressive, the guitar work at the beginning of the second track: ‘Flesh Me Out’ can be described as nothing less. This is then followed by a catchy and mysteriously lyricised starting chorus. As the guitar continues to show off throughout the rest of the song, so does the vocal line, and I must say that that chorus is one of my favourite parts, melody and lyric-wise, on the whole EP, with its theme of a slightly morbid, yet suggestive of a physical need of a person, nature. And of course, the triumphant screaming returns in the end, making you raise your eyebrows once again – where does she keep a voice like that?

The one thing that strikes me about the third track – ‘Land Pirates’ – is the way in which the instruments are timed to each other. The vocals seem to be off elsewhere, whilst the rest of the band plays in its own unison. But don’t get me wrong – it all works perfectly. And, of course, the lead guitar makes a notable comeback with the higher licks in between vocal lines. It all goes together brilliantly, I must say. The timing, and the vocal cues, have got to be my favourite thing about this song.

Track four, called ‘Beat This’ features the first appearance of Debbie’s higher notes, sang in a lovely, yet slightly aggressive manner, which is rather fitting for the song’s lyrics. We’re faced with the first glimpse of a wide range, which we’ll, hopefully, see more of in the future. This is followed with a bit of screaming and some clever guitar lines, laid over each other with perfect knowledge of the ways, in which texture makes a difference in a song. The way Debbie releases her notes also, is one of my favourite things about this track. In a manner between an exhausted and angered gasp, she really has improved since the last time I heard her sing, after which I’d pointed out to her that she should ease up on the gasping. Here, we hear the perfect balance of it, and lack thereof. The end of the song has got to be one of the greatest things in original creation. With lyrics that completely contradict the band’s genre of ‘punk/hardcore/rock’, one must find a way to take them seriously, yet with a grain of salt.

The last song on the EP, ‘The Tale Of Two Cities’, is perhaps one of my favourites, for a variety of reasons. Not only can the raw sound of nothing but the vocals, accompanied by an acoustic guitar, be described as nothing but sweet, Debbie’s voice is also the clearest, loudest and most audible here, than on any other song on the disc. The lyrics, mixed with the purity of the vocals, are inspiring and, perhaps, empowering, if not slightly saddening, speaking of subjects such as regret, and desertion. This is a perfect closing song, as it leaves the listener with a feeling of completeness, and peace. It doesn’t leave your heart racing and unable to settle down, as the others would. Instead, it leaves you to sit on your own and comprehend the meaning of life, love, and everything that surrounds you.

This is certainly a disc that is going to stay in my stereo for a while, and I suggest you go along and listen to the material yourselves.

Local Town Heroes' MySpace.
Drop C, Not Bombs music video.