Once Like a Spark
By Jetplane Landing
Anglo/Irish four-piece Jetplane Landing have been part of the punk/hardcore DIY community for nigh on 3 years now. In the true nature of the scene, they stay true to the DIY ethics by recording, pressing, and distributing their music themselves through their label Small town America. Shit, they probably licked the envelope this came in.
Their sound is an eclectic mix of afroed tits At the Drive In, spoken word over clean, minimal guitars. With a dash of Hot Water Music and Rival Schools riffage, throw in some "Red Medicine" era Fugazi and you get the idea.
Unfortunately there's a bit too much whiney emo bits for my liking, but luckily these are kept to a minimum. Another little niggle is that on the odd occasion Andrew Ferris's vocals sound like they've been sung in a yank accent. Now don't get me wrong I've nothing against the American accent but when you're from Derry, Northern Ireland it seems a bit silly. As in the words of the mighty Horror "Get Regional, Lets practice accent Pride".
Overall a good follow up to 2001 debut "Zero For Conduct". Songs that shine have to be "The Violence", "Conventional Thought" and "Calculate The Risk", all solid rocking post hardcoreish numbers played with conviction and passion. Poor bits for me it has to be "Do It Now". Seriously I can't listen to this track without feeling queasy. Whiny, Dashboard Confessionals vocals over fragile guitar pap a la Jerry Built.
A good album, but if you like your post hardcore a bit more hardcore, go buy "A Flight and a Crash" by Hot Water Music instead.
