Introducing This City
Introducing This City
Words by Ian Dickinson
If more clubs and bars played music like this I could be tempted to substitute the old man pubs that I prefer to frequent for something slightly more energetic than old age pensioners, pork scratchings and moldy dogs. As I listen to This City, the Smart Arse (Genius) function on my iTunes informs me that if I likeThis City, I will probably enjoy Enter Shikari and Hadouken! Not so smart after all. The similarity with these bands goes no further than the ability to get you gyrating, rocking and moshing. This City retain a hardcore sensibility and fortitude that give them a genuine intensity. At no time do I feel the necessity to spend my money on glow sticks, alcopops and clothing from H&M. This City have created music that the beardy and tattooed men of the world will proudly dance to. This has to be a good thing, right?
Formed back in 2006 after a friendship developed over a mutual love of tattoo’s. Chris Purr (vocals), Arran Day (guitar) both from the seaside punk and club Mecca of Brighton were joined by Grant Coleman (guitar), George Travis (bass) and Nick Burdett (drums). In January 2009, after years of independent releases, This City were signed to one of the most successful independent record labels of all time; Epitaph. The 3 album deal see’s This City in good company with the likes of Converge, Frank Turner, Bring Me The Horizon and Bad Religion.
This City recorded their 10 track debut earlier this year with producer Matt Bayles, who has worked on releases by Mastodon, Blood Brothers and Fall Of Troy. The result of two months in Seattle is We Were Like Sharks which was released in October. As a quick summary This City play melodic post hardcore that you can actually dance to. Brilliant.
Album opener We Move is a blistering tune, catchy and fast paced, it is guaranteed to get the dance floor filled. This City are not like the new wave of trance and house influenced heavy bands which have grown in popularity over the past years. This is simply hardcore with a rhythmic pulse and beat that demands that you dance. There is no electronic wizardry, drum machines or DJs. This keeps it raw and gritty. Purr’s vocal style is combination of melodic and confrontational. At times sounding like an English At The Drive-In era Cedric Bixler-Zavala. Purr maintains a bubbling repressed anger that builds and bursts with the dance floor beats and snarling guitars. My personal favorite, With Loaded Guns is reminiscent of the sadly long deceased Test Icicles. Punky, erratic and contagious. As Purr sings “please crush my ego and not my heart”; with every repetition of the words, the song and lyrics become more piercing and powerful. Vocally there is a lot going on in This City. Purrs snotty punk style is complimented by melodic moments, aggressive gang vocals, hardcore snarls, screams and harmonies. The variety of vocal styles mirrors the diversity of the tracks on We Were Like Sharks. Each track has its own character and feel, meaning there is no chance of boredom creeping in. This City are talented and broad minded, it will be exciting to see which direction they take on their next release.
The rapid tempo and thumping beats courtesy of Burdett and Travis create tracks that you can move to. There is a byproduct of this combination. The creation of attacking, punchy and passionate hardcore. The pace and fire that This City produce is as infectious as it is powerful. What This City have achieved, where many have failed, is in bridging the gap between creating legitimate, decent post hardcore that also lends itself well to the dance floor, much in the same way that their home town of Brighton has. Watch out world thanks to This City I will be clearing dance floors across the country!
November 24th, 2009
[...] November 24, 2009 by thiscitymusic Thanks Clink Magazine for your kind words [...]