Someone Sign 'Em Up!
Where's Billy are four blokes from Kent, who's musical inspiration comes from the likes of Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Feeder and Kasabian. You can spot this throughout their nine track CD 'Taking The Blame', with the underlying comparisons being high-energy, riff heavy, catchy, accessible rock.
Where's Billy first came to our attention at Guilfest, as the novel name tempted us to take a look at their set on the Surrey Advertiser Stage. Let's just say the curiosity was well rewarded.
To date their only release has been 'The Loss of Patience' EP in January of 2007, and two songs, 'Tourists' and the excellent 'Carpedien' (think pace of the Offspring) make it onto this mini album. Sadly the raptastic 'Gay Ape', which does show yet another aspect of the Where's Billy sound, is nowhere to be seen.
The CD opens with an interesting instrumental track. 'Before the storm' sets the tone with a simple guitar riff bass line, the rest of the band joining bit by bit to launch the album in fine style, certainly one that will be a live highpoint. This gives way to the sort of song every unsigned band needs when trying to make their mark. 'On My Side' would be a radio plugger's dream and it's clear Where's Billy have sussed out how to write tunes that can stand alone as great singles.
'Corporate whatever' and 'All said and done' continue the theme, mixing another killer riff, a decent slab of swagger and a catchy pop rock hook in the way that' bands like Ash and Feeder seem to do with effortless ease.
'Reapers keepers' has simple guitar work that is not unlike something you'd hear on an Arctic Monkeys album, but a vocal performance which is best summed up as reminiscent of UK rock acts like Funeral For A friend, only without the shouty stuff.
They do have it in them to do the heavy rock scream thing though, as the end of 'This time' shows. This leads into another instrumental track,
'So deja-vu exists?' is a lot heavier than the CD's opener, and is one final chance for Where's Billy to show themselves as a well-oiled rock unit.
'Taking the Blame' has reached us hot off the press from recording sessions in France, and is further proof that Where's Billy, although not necessarily breaking new ground with their sound, are without question one of the finest unsigned bands I've stumbled across in my two and a bit years at Room Thirteen. This CD works well as a showcase of their music, it would be interesting to see how this would be developed into a full length album, and whether or not they'd be tempted to enter into the world of acoustic tracks or ballads as so many British rock bands do.
If you like the sound of Where's Billy keep an eye on their
Myspacefor further news.