Review Summary: After fading into virtually nothing, Hot Action Cop return in blistering form.
Hot Action Cop. A band previously best known for their 2003 minor-hit single
"Fever For the Flava", a fusion of sex, drugs and funky guitar riffs. Believe me, their 2009 EP, also their first work released in six years, is not by that band. The new HAC have matured not only as people, but in sound, theme and skill.
The first track,
La Dee Da, opens with an indifferent "let's go" as if the band has never been away, singer/songwriter Rob Werthner showing his lyrical capabilities with a neat falsetto accompanied by lead guitar Tim Flaherty's simple muted riff that becomes the base of the song and the key to its success. The song progresses beautifully, underplaying chord-picking introduced in the second verse and a heavy chorus leading into a powerful grungy bridge and solo which scream with energy, all the while followed by a fitting offbeat drum track.
Immediately, the band shows ability to merge genres to create their own sound, with hard rock, grunge and funk seamlessly mixed into one.
Face Down, arguably the EP's best track, follows. Werthner whisks you through the song with his infectious voice and lyrics at such a lively pace that you feel the need to listen to the song again, just to take in all that it throws at you, from its light, fast riffs to the rapped interlude that is a throwback to their early days.
There is also an emotional depth to the song that so many other, more successful artists lack, with lyrics like:
Lying in a state of shock, I’m yours you are not
Here’s my heart, you can decide
and a slow, wailing solo that Flaherty channels himself into, one of the main reasons which drives this album to be
so good.
The next song,
Plane Crash is much more light-hearted and less serious, telling the story of a pilot and his crew shot down.
"It ain't over yet, we're lost at sea" Rob tells us,
"sharks are circling, sky's darkening and it's bothering me." Evidently, this song is great fun, with Tim once again proving his adeptness at creating great hooks and memorable solos.
The heaviest track is the seemingly randomly named
Baby Bottle. Don't be put off by its title, as the song shows how diverse Hot Acton Cop can be, producing a much rawer sound than its predecessors with distortion turned up to 11 and symbols crashing at every angle.
As if to directly contrast this,
Open Your Eyes adopts a cheerful pop-rock tone, probably the furthest the band has gone since its
Fever days. Heck, it even contains a little keyboard break! The most 'family friendly' of the tracks, able to brighten any mood, you'll find yourself singing along in no time.
The EP's conclusion is not to be underestimated.
Tomorrow's Gotta Secret is notably different from any of its siblings even in the first few seconds, opening with an acoustic guitar progression followed by Werthner singing a ballad to a lost love.
When I miss you, girl
The sky is cold and grey
When I miss you, girl
On a perfect summer day
When I miss you, girl
I feel like I can't sleep
There's one more thing that I would like to say before I leap out the window...
Words like these really tug on your heartstrings, you feel his pain and suffering without her, and there's no helping being reminded of the one that got away. The drums and bass kick in at just over one minute, letting loose a blazing chorus with a ringing electric guitar, all instruments coming perfectly together, like this song is coming from
all the band members' hearts. However, the song's most powerful moment is not here, but in the mesmerising acoustic solo accompanied as if completely naturally by Werthner's gentle humming, bringing the album to its unforgettable conclusion.
There is not a single weak song on this album, driven by Werthner and Flaherty's versatile writing and playing skills, producing an EP of a mixture of rock genres with an air of perseverance (to have stayed together this long without being repaid) and emotion. Don't miss it!
