Half Inch Heroes - Lessons Learnt
Reviewed: 11th May 2003

This young ska-based lot have been gigging for a while around the Tunbridge Wells scene for a while, and have managed to score gigs with the likes of Lightyear, Spankb...er, SolaBeat Alliance and Howards Alias. 'Lessons Learnt' is their new EP, complete with three brand new tracks.

'Any Other Name' kicks off proceedings with a genuinely catchy brass riff which leads into a high-paced section of fast distorted power chords, but for some reason this pace is ditched in favour for a languid ska section. I'm not saying the ska is bad, just that the transition from fast to slow could have been handled better. As it is, it sounds a touch jarring. Perversely, when the band switches from slow to fast it's a seamless and natural progression that fits the tone of the song perfectly. For such a young band, the maturity in sound is impressive in the later part of the song, with solid guitar and bass lines being overshadowed by the layered brass. It all gels very well towards the end of the song and when all seven members work together the result is genuinely good quality ska.

The opening riff to 'Everything I Learnt' may sound derivative, but works as a fitting low-key intro for the verse and vocals. The trouble is, the verses sound a little subdued and mundane before the brass kicks in, and the lyrics seem quite predictable. The brass lines do lift the song up, but there remains the unadventurous verse structure hampering the song as a whole. The bassline remains constant throughout, but because there isn't much else happening it stands out as funky and danceable. A little more imagination and this song would have turned out much better I think - as it is, it's just a hint of how it could've turned out.

'If Only' opens very much like the Mad Caddies' 'Road Rash' but the first part of the riff sounds messy. I think it could be cut out entirely to leave the bit where the whole band crash in together as the opening note of the song - much more impressively immediate. This is the best track on the EP due to the fast pace and solid guitar work complimenting the honest vocals. Mixing ska for the verses and all out punk rock in the choruses works very well here - the best thing I can say about this song, and the majority of the EP is that it sounds right. where you want it to go ska-y it does, when you want a faster bit there's always one around the corner and when you want to shout "Oi oi oi" then you can. Solid, if not showy.

Ben

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