THE DISSOCIATES give off a pheromone of musical clarity as they combine influences of what sounds like the Canadian post-hardcore extremists Billy Talent and simplistic guitar strummers Franz Ferdinand. With lead vocals tearing the songs apart in a similar state to that of Talent’s Ben Kowalewicz’ hoarse vocals, you can really hear the decades of influential punk rock taking its toll on the EP’s end result.
It’s definitely a brave move to collaborate the many influences that you hear, especially when trying to establish the quartet’s sound; however, it’s evidently defiant during the edgy renditions of ‘Context’ and ‘On The Motorway’. When it comes to this lot’s sound as a whole, there isn’t really a developing notion to their music that pulls you in, ultimately leaving you stranded, confused, wondering where this band are likely to go to next.
Close to putting a stamp on their own sound, the London foursome still have a mountain to climb. However, with the flawless tone of their raw vocals setting the benchmark, it’s only a matter of time before something really grabs your attention. Although ‘Waiting For The Backlash’ suffers from an anti-climatic conclusion with ‘Follow We Down’ not reaching the same heights of its predecessors, the solid chemistry of drum rhythm and biting chords make up for the rest of the material.
NICK COREN