The first and best thing you notice about fsor is the passion they have for the tunes they're playing. It's committed, driven material with loads of heart. Pat's anguished vocal isn't faking. It has a Paul Wellerish richness to it and the words sound real and heartfelt.Stand out track "Paroxysm" is just where it should be, at the top of the listing, to draw you in. There's a fine guitar riff that old timers like me have heard somewhere before, but can't remember who from.
"Media Whore" gets straight into a convincing guitar part and powers along very nicely. "Rust" has a Radiohead like introduction that meanders off a bit in standard indie tunedom. "Celebrity Marriage" has a bright clanging opening but has an early loss of intensity that reflects its subject matter a bit too closely. "What She Said" goes vocally interesting and then has lots of repeated "Don't mean nothing to me" and a rather weak and over long guitar section.
So, on balance, a very tidy band with a distinctive voice and attitude who are waiting for five songs as good as "Paroxysm" to really get them started.
