SideSteps

SideSteps EP

Written by: DR on 10/02/2011 14:16:41

No reviewer likes slamming any release, unless it's a complete and utter farce and sincerely deserves it, but on the whole I think most scribes recognise that there are a lot of fresh-faced bands looking to make even the slightest impression in an over-populated music scene, so we try to find something about them that suggests they may have potential to go on to bigger and better things. Then, there are albums that just plain suck. Albums so poorly executed that the proverbial ray of hope you usually find is being blocked by a huge pile of steaming shit. "SideSteps" is one such EP.

SideStep's sound is something of a fusion between synth-pop, alternative and industrial, with a dark, wannabe-mysterious edge; aside from the final three remixed songs (one being a radio edit, one acoustic and one a dance-re-imagination), there is little more to one of the tracks than cheap, plastic, electronica beats and awful, emotionless vocals, that are something between talking, chanting and singing, slapped on top, and some guitar effects thrown in, which, shockingly, aren't entirely terrible, but are lost beneath the vocals and electronics. The politically-themed lyrics lack any sort of clever turn of phrase, wit, or eloquence and however well-intentioned they are, fail to leave the listener interested in anything being said.

"I’ll let you know…

I’m not the President

I don’t run the business of your life

And something more…

Your fuckin’ heroine

To tell you what to do deep into you

I just realized…

They only care about

How to put you deep into debt

Now I focus on your glance

Tell me where is your heart

Baby trying not to be used

I already got by you abused"

This is the very first thing SideSteps have ever put out so I guess I should be looking for the potential, a reason why you should listen, and I have tried, desperately, but, that one miniscule scrap of promise to latch on to simply isn't here. I could go on and on about how the acoustic rendition of "The Heartbreak Song" reveals in full-bloom just how dire and tuneless the vocals are, or how "Not Anymore" is the perfect metaphor for the EP as the synths sound as though they were recorded with a child's first keyboard, but I don't want to waste anymore of my time or your time on this.

3

Download: Not Anymore
For The Fans of: Nine Inch Nails?
Listen: Bandcamp

Release date 09.12.2010
Self-Released

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