Suprisingly good
It’s not often that I like something. I never use the word ‘like’ lightly as for the most part of the time I hate things: I hate slow walking people; I hate mess; I hate cheese and more importantly, I hate bands who don’t really try and steal off others in the vein hope that nobody notices and I REALLY hate it when those bands get success of the back of it.
Johnny Panic is one of those bands that I heard of, yet not heard anything from for some considerable time. Just sweeping them under the carpet along with those other long departed UK bands - rest in peace my darlings, you are gone but not forgotten - I was a little surprised when the follow up to their 2005 debut The Violent Dazzling, arrived on my doorstep. I was a little more surprised when I gave it a listen.
The Good Fight is quite odd: it is so shiny and nice sounding it sounds faintly American with its ‘Have a nice day’ sheen. That is not to say that they are one of those ‘happy-clappy, everything is super bands’ as lyrically they do veer off into dark territory with tales of prostitution (Automatic Healer) and male suicide (Burn Your Youth), but it is quite incredible the way they bypass the hate ray which I seem to liberally apply to everything these days. How did you do it, Johnny Panic?
Musically, Johnny Panic combine punk rock-lite sensibilities; a little rock; a little nod to emo and some big ass American production values all to complete their sound: with it they sound bigger, stagier and more impressive than your average UK band. There is often a hint of Jimmy Eat World about the album in regards to the melodies, (which Jimmy Eat World excel at) lyrics and harmonies, which isn’t a bad thing at all: JEW are a band that I actually like. There is also a good balance of the upbeat and downbeat tracks which some bands often get hideously wrong: in all, this is a relatively masterful production.
Although this isn’t anything remotely new by a long shot, it is however hard to dislike. Johnny Panic are obviously a very competent band who are doing something just that little bit different from their contempories and that is never a bad thing.
It feels very strange not to hate something: I fear I must be ill.