Predictable Guitar-based Rock
When I think of the word random, I am confronted with mental images of smoking chimpanzees, mice in berets and school children screaming 'hamster testicles' in the playground. However, upon listening to the band of the same name, my mind becomes filled with carpet tiles in the colours beige, grey and maroon. Random, by definition alone, evokes in me a sense of the eccentric, of originality and of innovation – all traits which these London chaps are sadly missing.
Debut single 'Tonight' is a predictable melodic guitar number with a big chorus added especially for middle aged fist-pumping. Sounding somewhere in between 'Ashes' by Embrace, and 'Just The Way I'm Feeling' by Feeder, 'Tonight' brings nothing new or original to the musical table. Sure, the chorus is catchy and there is definite energy behind the song, however the lack of diversity creates a bland atmosphere as the notion of 'I've heard this song before' begins to overwhelm your senses.
Perhaps I'm being too harsh on the Random; they are after all a solid band with a solid single, but they just lack the sense of 'edginess' that helps define a great rock group. They sound too nice, and too predictable. They make the kind of music that my mother would like; upbeat and melodic rock that is too careful not upset their listeners with loud voices, dominating riffs or naughty words.
If you like pleasant and uplifting rock music that won't rock the boat, give the band a whirl when their single is released on the 18th of June. However, if you like your rock to well, rock, go and buy something a bit more dangerous.