Demos

Carbon Footprint - Images + Words

Charlie Southwell 11/03/2007

Rating: 3/5

A hard-gigging band that love their drink apparently more than others,* I am slightly unsure whether these guys have found this name as irony in this day and age or if it is their code of morals in words. If the latter, their EP didn't reach me with the recycled paper nor re-used plastic, stickers left on. So I'm assuming they aren't taking things too seriously, whatever their stance on global warming. (Which is a complete fabrication by our media, I hope everyone knows by now.)

So Carbon Footprint are four Essex boys brought together by their love for music ranging from Costello to The Police, via diversions round the isle of Bon Jovi. These London-favoured noise monkeys venture into Mainland Europe for the first time later this month.

The EP, 'Images + Words' was recorded in Kabir's front room, and it doesn't tell. They have captured a true rock essence. Buzzing harmonics rip through the mix in the opening title track. The singer holds a couple of notes long enough to be impressed, and then wonder if the CD is stuck. Thankfully it isn't and he was just showing off. The song stops and restarts a couple of times too many to flow ordinarily. It works however as a happy little ditty.

Second song 'Need Some Time' sounds much more like The Police's most pop and chilled songs with less of a reggae accent. Guitars wail serenely and somewhat scrappily, where a more mature band may have elegantly sidestepped the cliché and included a more convenient atmospheric solo. The song ends in a happily floating vocal melody, surpassing the moments in the song I wasn't too keen on.

Deep pulsing bass lines with jaded guitar lines that have been dusted off to accompany an indie-style vocalist keep this band atop global issues. Though I somehow doubt they will stay ahead in the news of matters including their band name. Musically they are at their best pre-solo, as they tend not to have a steady direction. The rockier middle eights could be developed upon to launch codas at the end of songs bringing extra vitality to their songs. A well written EP that is easy to listen to but has room for improvement and originality.

*(I think there should be some kind of competition for this, so many bands claim to live the life… I don't see them all drunk after shows though, there is a certain somewhere all bands must go to get wasted, and it must be somewhere before rehab. - on a second note this isn't questioning Carbon Footprints authority to claim they get drunk a lot.)

The Carbon Footprint Myspace