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Lucy T

Life In Focus EP

Written by: BL on 02/12/2010 01:31:20

I can always appreciate the occasional reminders of bands trying to make their way in the music scene from the ground up. Some may not be fortunate to have all the money to afford a real glossy production, or transport to always get them places on tour, or even a tour, and often they're still young enough to be in school sometimes. Lucy T is an aspiring post-hardcore/emo-rock act from Farnborough/Bracknell in the south of the UK. They're a small band and by the looks of things still trying to stabilise with a solid lineup. But here they are with their EP "Life In Focus", and while it's certainly very rough around the edges, you can sort of start to see and hear the foundations being put in place.

From an instrumental and technical point of view, I do enjoy elements of this EP, but there are a few real hit and miss arrangements throughout. "Save The Day" doesn't open the EP up all too well if I'm honest, the intro has this really strange guitar progression that seems more grating than melodic matched with snappy and jolting drumming. There's a few actual good riffs in the song past that, but more or less it's the weakest entry of all the songs. I am a little divided over the clean singing also employed here. While they are generally in tune and can hit a few decent notes and keep them there, the singer has a very strong British accent that perhaps comes through a little annoying unfortunately more than unique. Next up "Life In Focus" is a big improvement, there's some really Funeral For A Friend-esque guitars here and there, and more well thought out guitar passages that flow a little better. The end of the song is a little strange, with a sudden burst of drum base pedals and a loud bass guitar (it sounds like the bass didn't even come into the song until now) which seems a little out of place.

The second half of the EP further improves with "Life In Focus", the guitars and vocals actually getting a little better still. It seems like the guitar players can definitely crank out some nifty little riffs when they want to. So why on Earth are there not more of them? It seems everytime I hear a good riff on here, there has to be a rather plain part straight after where in all honesty not a lot happen (or the chord progression seem overly basic). Lastly "BK-MDMA" continues the up-hill trend by being the best song on the whole EP. The intro is surprisingly technical and plenty ambitious, though once again straight after something really good, something manages to sound both basic and awkward right away. Basic in terms of the vocal and guitar arrangements in the verses, and awkward with the open hi-hats on the drums which just don't seem to complement the guitars for me at all. Maybe a lot of this is just down to personal preference and me being picky, but sometimes when something doesn't seem to work for me, the more it will stick out like a sore thumb when I hear it over and over again. "BK-MDMA" at least manages to end the EP on a decent piece of singing and a cool tapped guitar outro.

When looking at the songs here one can see a lot of parts that needs a lot of work, and just the odd cool bit here and there that might hint at better things perhaps in the future. Personally I sure hope that the band will improve on the songwriting though, especially in terms of getting instruments to sound cohesive with one another, having a better flow and also just generally getting at least the recording a bit tighter. I would hesitate recommending the EP to the For The Fans of section however wouldn't completely write the band off though, so I guess when you see the score you have to bear everything in mind before thinking this is something completely unnoteworthy.

Download: Life In Focus, BK-MDMA (Untitled)
For the fans of: Funeral For A Friend, Exit Ten, some local garage band playing emocore
Listen: Myspace

Release date 01.06.2010
Self Released