One To Watch
As well as being a review of a limited addition 7" double A-side single, this is signposting ahead to 2006 as Blind Jackson are tipped as a band to watch over the next twelve months.
"Ah! But so many bands have that tag," you might not unreasonably say, "why should this North London lot be any different?"
Well, interest has been building over the past few months; they released a mini album in March and have had press and radio coverage both here in the UK, and around the world including as far away as Australia. They've worked with producer Justin Saban and engineer Thom Morris, who between them have The Killers, Razorlight, Jet and Pete Doherty on their CVs, although the band's sound doesn't immediately suggest any of those artists.
'Face Fit For Radio' is your typical British Indie pop song, the names Zutons, Madness, Dead 60s, Hard-Fi and Maximo Park all flash through the brain while listening to it, although it is mainly a tempo comparison as this song bounces along with as much of a smile on its face as anything that the aforementioned bands can do, while having a sound of its own.
Track 2, 'Somethings Will Never Change', has a heavier feel to it, making any previous comparison to Maximo Park seem far more relevant. It opens with a strong, powerful guitar riff that pops up at regular intervals throughout, the track only pauses for breath during the line 'Something's Never Change', where everything is brought to a halt, only for the same killer riff to kick back in and the cycle is repeated.
Sometimes a band's "one to watch" tag can have as much to do with whose desk the promo CD has arrived on and their personal taste, as the quality of the music on that CD. I think to label Blind Jackson with such a tag is being fair though, as this is certainly a promising start point for those who may not yet have heard them.