Review Summary: An EP to not hear.
The first band recording I ever made was a scrappy project me and a friend recorded with a shoddy 144p desktop webcam. It was awful. This offcut anecdote is a reason why I'm empathetic towards the trial by fire process young bands face. However, I find little to praise within Sullen States four-track e.p.
By all means, a Liverpudlian pop punk band is a novel concept. Influences from The Story So Far and early Title Fight are immediately apparent. Though, the spoken word section found in Null shows a vast difference between imitation and local dialect; when the vocals aren't rushed or forced they show an earnestly well above their years.
Songs and Novels is the most infectious song of the e.p and showcases all the bands' strengths. Although everything soon falls apart when the turgid mess that is apprehensive plays. A dull bore soon followed by the dispassionate songwriting approach to compassion.
The gripe I hold with a movie to not see is like my first project; the unpolished approach is insulting to the monetary value they wish for its privilege. As a show of consideration, I don't hold mention of the songwriting other than a brief mention of a lacklustre approach to some child-like rhyming scheme.
This all sounds like a band finding its feet; there isn't too much to praise or criticise. It is a thoroughly average affair, yet as the cliche' goes there is potential here. Though right now Sullen State, you're just a band I wouldn't recommend.
