Rarely does a band completely blow my mind on first listen. However, after seeing Overthrow at a low-key club show this weekend, this Guildford four-piece has done just that. Although their debut full-length ‘The Withdrawal of Reason’ fails to encapsulate the energy they radiate on stage, it does showcase that they can write some truly cracking songs, that drip with complexity, all the while being accessible and most importantly, fun.
Opener ‘Brace for impact’ introduces you to the stop-start dynamic of their song writing technique, which at times is more Minus the Bear than straight up ska-punk, while ‘Powercut’ starts with a familiar beat, before descending into beautifully crafted anti-establishment chaos at its climax.
Politically charged and sonically complex, Overthrow are a band clearly oozing with talent. From the conventional harmonies that weave in and out of every song, to the less familiar rhythmic textures that dominate these eleven tracks, ‘The Withdrawal of Reason’ is visceral, dynamic and downright interesting from start to finish. Already making waves in the UK ska-punk underground, it seems to be a matter of WHEN they get the recognition that this release demands, as opposed to if it happens at all.
Bloody marvellous.
Andy R