4GIVNESS ep - 2004

Rating: ***
Best songs: Who Needs You?, Crush or Love?
Worst songs: none

 

Our friend Dean Strickland is back, this time with an actual band (Michael Dwyer on bass and Jasmin Guevara on drums) called 4GIVNESS, debuting with this eponymous six-song EP. A quick rundown of the tracks: "Who Needs You?" and "Crush or Love?" are a powerful one-two punch of punky power-pop that open the album. "Conflicting Interest" contrasts vaguely-country-rock verses with a louder chorus, and is probably one of the only love songs ever written to a band's drummer. "You're Inspirational To Me", the longest track of the bunch, kind of drags, but it's not too bad. The EP gets back on course with the shorter (and more interesting) track "Where I Stand", and the album ends on another fast note with "I'll Get Out of This Town".

So, to recap, first two tracks: great. The rest goes from okay to good. It's hard for me to give a high grade to an EP, though, since the things are always so short. Either way, the group shows promise, and it's nice to hear Dean singing about something other than being hung up on some girl. (No offense.)

Here's their website. You know you want to look.

This is the end of the page. Return home now.