aaamusic | On 04, Jul 2011

Grr. I never thought I’d see the day in which music could bring out the worst in me, but it seems that London trio Fear No Fish have successfully managed to subvert the entire point of pop music in five simple songs by making those songs so lifelessly solid, so boringly serviceable, that every single opinion I have on it makes me sound like at best a cynic and at worst engaged in a personal vendetta against the band. Impressive. Perversely impressive, yes, but still impressive nonetheless. It makes me sad to see that the name that I’ve seen most bandied around when it comes to Fear No Fish is Reuben, post-hardcore godheads and one of the best all-round rock groups of the 2000s, and yes, there’s a passing resemblance in the presence of loud guitars and the sporadic appearance of an odd time signature but to compare the two just insults the latter, making them some kind of heavy metal Victor Frankenstein, if the original mad scientist created a being of such spectacular mediocrity that he would have jumped off a cliff if he cared about it in any way.

So yes, this is another “post hardcore” group with nothing much to say for itself except that the songwriter sometimes feels real bad about stuff, “Broken” even. And this is where the cynic in me comes hurtling to the fore, the sheer volume of  samey “post-hardcore” bands just makes this already ordinary band sound even more insufferably normal by extension and it honestly confuses me, could only its creator look at the likes of opener “Stay” and honestly say that it is illustrative of any kind of “sound” they might have? But market saturation isn’t the only thing that works to the bands detriment, the production is also pretty much nonexistent, guitar sounds rarely stray from bog standard distortion and the lyrics clunk like moody teenager being pushed down the stairs, case in point Broken’s opening couplet “Stand Still, I’m talking to you / don’t want to hear the lies from you anymore.” I know we’ve all been there, but Jesus Christ, can you not find something original to say about it? (And not sound like a sexist boor at that?)

Bu that’s not even the worst thing about this drone of a record, that dubious honour would go to the fact that the music is all reasonably diverse, and pleasant enough but the one reaction these songs can raise is a slight rhythmic twitch of the foot and a strong desire to do something else. And that’s quite frankly terrifying, this is a real life BAND, who impressed someone to such an extent that they PAID them to release a RECORD, is “Mildly diverting” good enough nowadays? So it would seem. Fear No Fish, then, music for people who once had faith in music, and then lost it.

Author: Will Howard

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With over 9 years experience behind them, UK alternative rockers Fear no Fish return with their new EP Now or Never.  The three piece band avoid anything extravagant and stick to a fairly tried and tested commercial rock sound.

The bands E.P is an easy listen because of the lack of complexities in their songs, with tracks like Stay  & The Truth being as instant as they come.  Whilst the band have done well to craft an instant rock sound, their lack of imagination is frustrating over the course of the five songs.  Four of the five songs on their E.P have a single feel to them, with Paint My Numbers being the only track that deviates from their languid and predictable style.

Fear no Fish have clearly sorted all the basics out, however for a band of 9 years you’d imagine they’d have some form of creative direction or imagination.  Instead the E.P sounds like a group of 16 year olds first release.  Playing safe with a few tracks is fine, but Fear no Fish have taken this to extremes and the end result is close to being as dull as watching Wimbledon.

Author: Thom Crowther