No Need To Be Downhearted - Electric Soft Parade (The)

Advantages: More good alternative tunes
Disadvantages: Too much filler

...When Electric Soft Parade burst onto the music scene they had critics gushing about their potential to be the next Radiohead. A very strong debut album has led to that well documented problem - the dreaded follow-up. ESP disappoint slightly with this album. Whilst it has many good tracks, there is also a lot of filler. A strong start to the album - there is a mix of styles which is always nice to hear. However, the album really tapers off towards the end. The title track is an epic but is easily the stand out tune. Overall, a good effort but could be better with one or two more stand out songs. It will be interesting to see the direction they take next.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Shows plenty of potental
Disadvantages: tends to drag in parts

...Following in the footsteps of Ocean Colour Sceen, the Inertnational Nosie Conspiray and many other The Electric Soft Parade made a name for them selves by sticking 3 random words together, or so it would seem...They were actually called The Soft Parade, but someone had that name so they stuck Electric at the begining and voila, you have a band name. Another fact about them is that the drummer writes most of the lyrics, original. The debut album from the White brothers earned them a lot of hype in early 2002, but saddly like many others don't quiet live up to it. Don't get me wrong, it's a good album, but just not as good as it was made out to be. If this album had been something I picked up with out hearing much about them then I would have thought it was great, but it just leaves you with a 'is that it' feeling at the end. However... Read review

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Advantages: Impressive Debut From Two Young Brighton Brothers
Disadvantages: The Album Ends.

...Holes In The Wall is the debut album from this impressive Brighton based duo of brothers. Amazingly the White brothers, Tom and Alex are aged just 17 and 20, and are musically talented far beyond their years. Between them they play all the instruments, drums, lead guitar, bass guitar, drum machines, piano, bass guitars and synths. As a live act they pull in a bass guitarist and a keyboard player, but amazingly the brothers hop about on stage swapping over from time to time! Originally named after a Door’s album (I believe?) they were known simply as The Soft Parade, however there exists a Door’s cover band in the States called Soft Parade and so, quite rightly the brother’s have amplified their nomenclature to what it is now. The sound of The Electric Soft Parade is one blending lo-fi experiments, driving guitars, pianos, melodic... Read review

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