Can The Screamin', Boys
This EP is the musical embodiment of bipolar disorder. The "Introspection EP" from Kubrick seriously is the aural equivalent of someone who one minute bakes you a cake and tries to see if your face will light on fire the next. Unfortunately, for all that can be said, this EP is still quite mediocre. Sounding like a watered down version of the guy from Thursday, Richard Gombault (vocals/guitar) manages to switch between angsty screaming and simplistic, yet effective vocal melodies more often than I use big words unnecessarily.
Actually, that's unfair - the first half of the album offers two songs which are decent: the screaming is non-existent, so I have no problem with them. The first, "My Longest Day", shows off Kubrick's penchant for down-tuned guitars and an actual ability to write good songs. The second track, "Wilting", is Kubrick's finest on this release. Harmonic breaks, pleasing lyrics and general amazing songmanship all smudge together to form a beautiful statuette of musical entertainment.
And then they urinate on all their efforts with the second half of the EP.
Starting with some Queens of the Stone Age-esque guitar riffs, the third song "Illustration" flops as soon as some limp screaming is presented in all of its naked “glory" with only drums trying to keep it decent. It builds up beautifully and then just explodes - and not in the good way, I'm talking the Hindenburg way. If they'd taken out the screaming in this song, it would probably have beaten "Wilting" to the coveted "Best Song On The EP" spot. Mind you, if they'd taken out the screaming in this EP, I'd probably have given it 5/5 and a standing ovation - it just doesn't fit in at all. The screaming on the final track, "Nowhere To Turn But Away" doesn't sound quite so much like Richard's been shouting too much the night before, but it still irritates.
Here's a final message to Kubrick: Just because all the other bands out there are screaming, it doesn't mean you have to.