Demos

Man Without Country - Demo

Owain Paciuszko 26/06/2008

Rating: 3/5

Bridgend ambient popsters Man Without Country's demo houses three tracks that are well produced if slightly vacuous, a little content to wallow in that Snow Patrol / early-Coldplay mold and not quite take the spine-tingling leaps that the pounding piano, cinematic drums and other uplifting electronic jiggery-pokery suggests. First track 'Parity' goes on a bit too much about stars shining, which unfortunately created a cynical barrier between me and my surprise at the grand epic quality of the instrumentation. Second track 'Handcuffs' scores better lyrically, but, the see-saw sags at the other end and the music fumbles into Starsailor B-side territory. Yet it's pleasing to note that this band are not a bunch of good musicians let down by lyrics, or, at the other end of the spectrum, great lyricists with terrible tunes; it's just the immortal question of getting those two elements to gel. Final track 'Victory Stance' plays up the electronic angle a bit more and benefits because of it, dancing the guitar line around processed beats and pushing the vocals a bit more clearly into the mix lends a 'The Postal Service' bent to this song that drags it out of that 'stadium pop' mire. A promising set of demo tracks and a band to keep your ear on.