aaamusic | On 13, Sep 2011

Jumping Ships – Standard Bearer

 

It’s a beautiful thing, our rock ‘n roll. And nowhere is it more apparent than on this, the second E.P from Brighton alternative rockers Jumping Ships. It may just be me but there is something inherently loveable in the sound of rock ‘n roll being done well, even when (perhaps because?) it’s a sound that has been done so many times it’s possible to literally predict the structure of a track one has never heard before. Make no mistake, this is not trying to reinvent the wheel, everything you hear on this record has been done before, but whether it’s been done better is an altogether trickier question to answer.

Take opener Movers and Shakers, the track is a stirring mix of comforting familiarity and pretty bold instrumental experimentation. Without pretension, I’m basically saying it’s heart in throat, loud as fuck post-hardcore done with utter conviction by a bunch of insanely talented instrumentalists. It rattles along on a wrong-footing time signature, singer Michael Williams’ titanic vocal and an unshaking belief that a distorted power chord, while sounding familiar, can still change lives when played with conviction.

Just because something sounds familiar, doesn’t mean it can’t sound exciting, much less good, because the songs written here are fantastic, each containing a firecracker of a chorus, twisted yet catchy guitar riffs and Pixies indebted, loud-quiet-really-fucking-LOUD dynamics. As I said before, these guys are not trying to reinvent the wheel, their succeeding in writing the next chapter in rock and roll.

Author: Will Howard