Longshot Odds are a band from Columbia, South Carolina. In July they released a new six song EP named Circle The Drain on Dying Scene Records. Unfortunately I can't find out much more about the band online so may as well get stuck into the review.
Circling The Drain begins with Challenger. The track opens with a pounding drumbeat alongside a great guitar riff that quickly gives the song plenty of energy. Vocally it's a bit snottier than I was expecting given how technically proficient the opening was but it works well. I'm often put off by bands that not only play really well but have a singer who can properly sing. On Challenger, the everyman quality I enjoy in my punk rock is evident. Up next is Home which is about dealing with a traumatic experience and putting up walls. On my first listen, I really enjoyed the stop/start nature of the song with the verses being delivered in a somewhat stabby way and then the chorus being packed with melody and hooks. This is a good way to really get somebody invested into a song. The build towards the chorus and then the chorus itself had me pumped and ready to have a good shout along.
Track three is named It. It is one of the more straight forward punk rock songs on Circle The Drain. The song starts out with a decent pace and it doesn't really slow down throughout. This ensures there is plenty of energy throughout. Longshot Odds clearly have a skill in writing a big chorus because, for the third song in a row, I find myself desperate to shout along with the track. Next is the six minute long Blood And Asphalt. Blood And Asphalt has your standard skate punk opening, almost sounding lifted from any NOFX song, but then things quickly change up with a more country-style with a piano adding a whole different element to the song. As the song goes on, the sound does switch towards your more typical punk sound again before the inclusion of what I think is a Moog synthesiser adding another interesting sound. Blood And Asphalt certainly takes you on some journey.
The penultimate song is named Willoughby. On this song, Longshot Odds experiment a bit with psychobilly with the bass really driving the song on. It's also the first time on Circle The Drain where the band make use of harmonies. At times they even implement a three-part harmony that sounds just delightful. I'm such a sucker for a great harmony. Even after switching up the style again, Longshot Odds continue to fill their songs with such fantastic hooks and unbelievably catchy melodies. The final track is Movin' On. Beginning with a chunky bassline and some crashing guitars before that Moog-like instrument comes in alongside some more classic guitar gives Movin' On a very interesting start. The song relies heavily on some superb instrumentation, really showcasing just what a talented bunch of musicians Longshot Odds are. This was some way to finish the EP. It's a track that really keeps you guessing what might be coming next – you might also describe it as a punk rock prog song which is not something I'd ever expect to enjoy buy I really did on this occasion.
Circle The Drain is a fun EP that serves as a great introduction for Longshot Odds. They released a couple of EPs before this one but I feel like Circle The Drain could really be the release that opens the band up to a whole new and larger audience. Great stuff.
Stream and download Circle The Drain here: https://longshotodds.bandcamp.com/album/circle-the-drain
Like Longshot Odds here: http://facebook.com/longshotodds
This review was written by Colin Clark.
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