I’m usually good at remembering decent bands that I’ve reviewed for Punktastic, so I was a little miffed when I read Irrelevant‘s biography as it had a quote I had given – yet I couldn’t remember giving it or the band’s name! Maybe I’m just getting old, because Irrelevant aren’t half bad. There’s a definite Million Dead influence going on here and over the seven years these guys have been together you can see they’ve become a very tight-knit group. Basslines and guitars weave in and out of a waivering vocal, and on a musical level there’s a lot to impress you.
However, for all of the band’s obvious talents, I’m not convinced the songs are as strong as they should be. While the guitar riffs in the magazine-baiting ‘NME’ are very clever, the track itself just doesn’t hit the right spots for me. It’s good, just not great. And this is a common theme throughout the three tracks on offer – there’s enormous talent here, but tracks drag on or fail to hit the sweet spot that a band needs to if they want to make an impact. It’s a shame because Irrelevant are clearly talented – and inventive – chaps, but there’s something lacking here that I can’t quite put my finger on.
www.myspace.com/irrelevantuk
paul