Review Summary: Talent as well as potential, yet unrefined and almost too rough around the edges in execution.
The DIY scene in the UK has been growing exponentially over the past few year within the realms of emo and pop punk. Similar to the Midwest boom in the 90’s, bands like Moose Blood, Boston Manor, Departures, Trash Boat, etc. all have been giving a modern take on albums like
Deja Entendu,
Suburbia, and old American Football workings, but manage to put a spin on it that makes it feel a lot less redundant. Or at least in most cases that is. This is where I figured a band like Holding Out fit in, sort of, with intense lead guitars and lofi drums blasting constantly over a more traditional emo sound.
Now when I was asked to review this by my friend/the band, I was somewhat scared of being biased but I’ll be honest with you, this EP is nothing groundbreaking by any means. But if you’re into DIY style pop punk, almost reminiscent of the scene in the 70’s in some aspects, this EP is at least worth a listen. Especially if any of the aforementioned influences appeal to you. Holding Out kind of sounds like
Your Favorite Weapon-era Brand New meets old pre-
The Future Is Cancelled Captain, We’re Sinking, with vocals that remind me of Sid Vicious in some aspects with their nasal mid-pitched grit. At first the vocals feel grating, especially through the first song, but once you get used to it, the vocals wind up compliment the intense almost metallic guitar parts with the lofi rhythm section. The influences aren’t a nuisance though,
Holding Out still feels unique in many aspects, where they seem to mix in a lot of what emo has to offer, seemingly stretching to different sides of the genre pulling in a lot of influences from the late 80’s DC hardcore, to today’s Tiny Moving Parts-esque pop punk side of things. Their lofi production though however, coupled with their energetic instrumentation and harsh vocal takes, give them a temporary identity.
But the lofi production also works as a double-edged sword though. It really washes the drums out in some cases, where you can make out what their drummer is playing, but the intense double bass techniques + pop punk + muddy production = not that good of a combination. The rhythm guitar and bass are almost inaudible behind the lead, vocals, and pounding bass drum work. The lyrical content also feels mildly repetitive and cliched at times with talks of “burning bridges,” “can’t getting you out of my head,” “being lost,” and essentially being stuck in the middle. Overall, it’s not a bad listen by any means, and there definitely is potential to be found here, but the band has to stretch a little bit farther out of their comfort zone and boost their production quality if they really want to put out more of a positive listening experience for their fans.
Check Out: “Machines” and “Headaches”
Stream:
https://open.spotify.com/album/0HF5GusZQHpj1LWNLQ42KN
