Imperfect e.p. – The Frayed Laces (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Punk-pop has never been the most progressive of genres, it seems to have found its groove early on in life and remained happy to hang around in long shorts and hoodies outside the local skateboard shop. The reason why The Frayed Laces seem to stand out is despite what they may tell you, they are more pop than punk. Some of it is hard driven, it certainly has attitude and it is hardly going to go toe to toe with what passes for pop in these days of clinical, production line, hit or bust non-creativity, but who want’s to play that game anyway.

What you have here is more akin to Paramore’s power pop, or No Doubt without the ska fixation: gritty enough to get on the rock radar and accessible enough to appeal to the more mainstream based punter. No musical barricades will lie smashed in their wake, no traditions trampled underfoot in a headlong rush to break the rules, but right from the opening bars of Twigs you can here a solid approach to their chosen field.

Songs such as Monsters and the title track itself hit the gas pedal a bit harder, combining bravado with a certain vulnerability that comes from Emma Harley’s vocals and there is even the obligatory acoustic quiet-loud-quite Summit, which circles around folk-rock territory, being anthemic and earnest yet again providing a frame that show cases the vocals wonderfully.

5 tracks down the line and no wheels have been re-invented but then most of use just want to travel about in something both familiar and reliable, this e.p. ticks both of those boxes with ease.