Tainted Lady

Rock is Dead EP

Written by: PP on 10/01/2015 21:17:14

Grunge might be dead, but that doesn't mean there aren't a bunch of bands keeping the spirit of the genre alive through releases every now and then. Tainted Lady, who originate from Fredericia, Denmark, are one of those bands who stare early 90s bands like Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots directly in their eyes with a new EP called "Rock is Dead", an ironic title considering the straight up grunge rock style their expression revolves around. Since the release of this EP, they've parted ways with their lead singer Mads, which is a shame, because this EP suggests he's truly the heart and soul of this band, meaning he's going to be difficult to replace.

Opener "No Offense Usually Means Offense" is a good example. What might be standard fare grunge rock is elevated to another level through Mads' charismatic and unconventional vocal delivery, which oozes of rock star quality and ability to twist melodies in his own favour instead of just going for the most straight forward melody. Likewise, "Alcoholic By Choice" has a similar vibe to it vocally, sending loving gazes towards Eddie Vedder on multiple occasions. The riffs and rest of the instrumentals, on the other hand, are pretty much what you expect from grunge rock in 2014. They're derivative of much bigger bands and show little originality, which can be okay in some instances, but they aren't enough to convince me there's a bigger band lurking underneath the surface for Tainted Lady at this stage. With a less charismatic vocalist, their grunge style isn't much to hurrah for, and even with Mads, it's decent at best. While their inspiration is obvious, the fact they aren't playing on the same level is equally so. In the end it boils down to this: why would I listen to a Tainted Lady record when I can put on a Pearl Jam or a Stone Temple Pilots record instead? Some bands have a very convincing answer to this question, here, Tainted Lady deliver an expression that doesn't quite answer the question well enough. Instrumentally proficient, decent songwriting, but nothing that'll grab you in the long run, unfortunately.

6

Download: No Offense Usually Means Offense, They've Got You On Tape
For the fans of: Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots
Listen: Facebook

Release date 05.09.2014
Self-Released

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