Band Name: Vouves Krauges

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/12345vk

Reviewer: Keef

Review:

OK – my knowledge of the Greek language is limited to ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘thankyou’ (although, for reasons best not typed here, I can also say ‘I love you very much’). But this is a music review, so what do words matter??

I’m not even going to try to individualise each track, as the quality of the recording (done live) isn’t exactly the greatest – however, given it’s limitations, it’s not bad at all! In fact, I’ve reviewed far less musical stuff that’s been done in a studio!

Overall, I get the feeling that Greek rock music is a few years behind what we listen to in the UK and US – but that doesn’t make it bad. I’m no expert, but it sounds to me like the band are trying to use some elements of their native traditional music in what they play, rather than just copy any certain style, and that has to be a good thing.

The sound is OK, but it’s really hard to give a proper review from a poorly recorded live track – which is a shame, as I think I’d like to hear a bit more from this lot. Listening to them, all I’m getting is ‘The Scorpions’ – it just gives me that sort of ‘feel’ – but seeing as ‘Wind Of Change’ is an all time classic, that’s a big plus point for me!

Worth a listen – even more so if you happen to speak Greek!

Keef

Band Name: Fire Assassins

Myspace: www.myspace.com/fireassassins

Reviewer: Keef

Review:

‘Restless Heart’ - ‘Fire Assasins’ describe their varied influences as being mostly 80s era – ranging from Metallica to Rick Springfield. ‘Restless Heart’ opens up like a tribute to The Cranberries or even The Corrs, with a very tuneful, if a little light, acoustic guitar and violin intro. Not a bad start, but not really ‘rock’ music…..

And then it all goes a bit early 70s. Now – again, that’s no bad thing, but the vocals sound like someone who’s trying to do a really poor Chris DeBurgh impression for a laugh – only thing is, I think it’s supposed to be a serious vocal melody. At over 7 minutes, this track just drags on too long.

‘Do You Remember’ - is a different kettle of fish entirely. OK, so it’s ’80s rock by numbers’ and entirely predictable, but I guess that’s half the charm of that type of music in the first place – it’s instantly recogniseable. I have to say the vocals are a huge improvement on this track, maybe it’s a pitching thing, but it’s far less forced and actually not that bad.

‘Midnight’ is more of the same. Predictable 80s rock. It has the same ‘charm’ as the previous track – but fails again on the strained vocals and being overly long. There’s a great solo and melody change towards the end of the track, but after that ‘high’, it just repeats the original riff for another minute and kind of kills the interest that the solo brought to the track.

‘Keep Christmas Alive in your Heart’. This is a terrible track – sorry guys, but it’s just not even good in a bad way. The Darkness kind of got away with a cheesy Festive song, but you’re not The Darkness. If for no other reason than the appalling wailing that is being passed off as ‘vocals’, you need to get rid of this track, as it really shows off all your bad points……

‘Outside Looking In’ – yet more rock by numbers. Sorry – but it’s getting quite tedious now and the vocals – well, they’re just getting progressively flatter and sounding more like the worst of (insert reality TV ‘talent’ show here). Another one for the bin.

‘Turn Away’. OK – what a great start! LOVE the opening to this track, as it at least shows some thought – but it then just falls apart in a big way.
We’ve now moved to ‘rock ballad by numbers’ – with ‘backing vocals’. I’m deliberately steering away from calling them ‘vocal harmonies’, because they are neither of those things. I’ve no idea whether this is both parties wailing away or a bit of double tracking, but it’s painful to say the least.
‘Turn Away’ is aptly named for reviewers – because that’s what most people will do listening to this.

‘Long Way Back’ - another pleasantly constructed 80s inspired rock by numbers track – offering nothing new and completely ruined by the vocals…..

There’s quite obviously one talented musician in this group, which makes the fact that there’s some painfully out of tune vocals on these tracks unforgiveable.

Keef