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You know those bands that thrash away endlessly to ever-decreasing effect? We've all seen support acts like this. They come on, play their opening number, and you think "these are alright." Then, gradually your goodwill does 'an Elvis' and leaves the building as you realise that they played their best song first, and everything else is something of a pale imitation. Well this is what The Paper Champions are, to my ears anyway.
The opening track The Selfish Kind really is rather good in a Foo Fighters kind of way. Then, and I'm sorry lads, it's all downhill for me. There are loads of tracks on the album where The Paper Champions give it a similarly aggressive treatment. But nothing else on this set equals the powerful, yet melodic feel of its opener. There are some other decent moments here, of course. The title track has a similar rousing quality, Remember This has a memorable chorus, and there's some good interaction between the guitar and that lovely bassline on Words And Inaction. However, too much of the rest of the album seems to be more bluster than substance.
That's not to say that there's anything inherently wrong with the rest of it. It's just that I think The Paper Champions need to realise that not every song needs to build up (from what are often decent intros) in an identical fashion. And that not every song needs to be bellowed with such 'hey look how much I mean it' intensity.
Of course, if I was still in my teens, and felt that the world was against me, there's every possibility that I would like this album more. But I'm not. And whilst I think there's evidence that these lads have talent, I just think they need to stop straining, and let it happen.
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