Reviewed by Jamie Hailstone

It's not often you get to review a band who have two bass players, and one suspects there are very good reasons why more bands don't go down this path. This, somethingAboutnothing's second EP, shows the Tunbridge Wells-based band's new extended line-up with Luke Harper (drums and backing vocals), Simon Regan (guitars), Jade Ware-Jarrett (bass) and Jonnie Norgate (bass and lead vocals). As an EP goes it is a reasonably solid effort, with plenty to shout about. The standout track, "So Much It's Too Much", harks back to a time when Noel Gallagher could actually write decent songs and Oasis were one of the most important bands on the planet. Of course, that was a long time ago. "So Much." would sit pretty well on a radio station playlist, with faultless harmony singing and a wonderful Wonderwall-esque bit of strumming. It is one of those songs that has hit written all over it and if the band wanted to go down this particular path, then they could do very well. The rest of the EP is a much more rocking affair, and they do crank it up to 11 when the pace requires it. The guitars, drums and bass (both of them) pick things up and singer Jonnie holds each track and delivers the necessary rock factor. At times it gets a bit reminiscent of the Cure and Joy Division. The only thing that lets the side down is a pun in the opening song, "Made It Clear" - armageddon out of here - which is pretty unforgivable, from a lyricist's point of view. If you are going to do a song about how awful the world is getting, then don't use a line that Ozzy Osbourne wouldn't even do as a knock-knock joke. The group has already appeared at the Grassrootz music festival, and given the right producer, these guys could go very far indeed.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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