Kids In Glass Houses: Smart Casual
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Wednesday, 21, May 2008 11:00
Roadrunner Records, out May 26th.
In a nutshell..
Catchy bright-eyed summer rock anthems
What's it all about?
The debut effort of hotly-tipped Welsh quintet, Smart Casual consists of 12 hook-laden tracks in the veins of Fall Out Boy and Lostprophets. Includes the singles Give Me What I Want and Easy Tiger.
Who's it by?
On a label which contains metal heavyweights such as Slipknot, 36 Crazyfists and Killswitch Engage, Cardiff quintet Kids in Glass Houses might seem to be a little out of place. With rousing riffs mixed with killer hooks, the band serve up a sugar-sweet mixture of pop-enthused emo (sorry I know that's almost a dirty word these days), not entirely dissimilar to fellow-countrymen Funeral for a Friend and Lostprophets.
And although this is their debut album, the Welsh troubadours are veterans of the live scene, having toured with the likes of Paramore, 30 Seconds to Mars and the Blackout, in addition to various appearances at Download, Hyde Park and the Reading & Leeds Festivals. The band is made up of lead singer Aled Phillips, drummer Phil Jenkins, Andrew Shay on bass and guitarists Joel Fisher and Andrew Shay.
As an example...
"Eloquent and self assured an artist's grasp of insecure/You put your money where your mouth is/Money where your mouth is/I'm getting bored, I'm getting bored of talking straight into the wall." - Easy Tiger
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Doubtful. However, they were nominated for the best British newcomer prize at last year's Kerrang! awards. Although they ultimately lost out to motley punks Gallows, KIGH are likely to pick up plenty more plaudits as the year progresses.
What the others say
"This lot have a glint in their eye and an infectious enthusiasm that mark them out from the thousands of also-rans trying to ride the emo wave." - Rock Sound
"Catchy as hell." - Kerrang!
So is it any good?
Being on a label which includes the likes of Slipknot and 36 Crazyfists, you'd be forgiven for thinking Kids in Glass Houses were all screaming vocals, black attire and thrash metal mayhem. Pleasingly, however, this is not the case. As while this Welsh lot are influenced by numerous punk and hardcore acts (their name comes from a GlassJaw song), there is a pleasing pop vibe which gives nods to the likes of Duran Duran and Prince.
Starting with the searing Fisticuffs, Smart Casual is a record jam-packed with clever guitar work, emotional lyrics and choruses which are likely to stay imprinted in your brain for weeks on end. Meanwhile, top-tapping current single Give Me What I Want is possibly one of the rock songs of the year. Other highlights include Raise Hell, Easy Tiger and Good Boys Gone Rad which are sure to satisfy the ears and minds of lovelorn and lovestruck kids everywhere.
However, as with debut efforts by FFAF and Lostprophets, the first major label release by KIGH is largely made up of tracks which have previously appeared on EPs and demos, some of which are up to 18 months old. And while all of the songs are worthy of making the cut, you can't help but feel like the label is trying to cash in on KIGH with minimum investment. Perhaps this is best highlighted on Give Me What I Want. Previously known as Me, Me, Me the band have re-recorded the single (which was first commercially released in June 2007) and while it may technically sound better it has lost some of the swagger of old.
Overall perhaps the main problem with Smart Casual is that it sounds almost too poppy and clean-cut, that its sometime hard to think of them as a road-worn gigging band. The fact that they're impossibly good-looking doesn't help matters greatly either. However, you can't help thinking that a slightly rawer sound on the album would give the band a better representation of their on-stage performance.
But that it is not to say Smart Casual is not worth your attention, because by all means it does. While it may not be the most original sounding record of 2008, the overall quality of songwriting and melody make may it one of the most popular. And although a rougher edge or a change in pace wouldn't go amiss, if you like something you can hum along to while rocking out in the car this may just be your album of the summer.
7.5/10
Ashley King
Check out the video for Give Me What I Want below: