Back To Reviews Menu

Reviews - Murdocks - South of Mainstream:

Short and sweet, or short and not so sweet, is sometimes the best way to go when you're trying to get yourself heard. Murdocks, with their four song self-titled EP, have hammered that point home. From the raucous and rambunctious intro of "Death of A French Whore", right up until the thirteen minutes of aural onslaught have ended, I was taken on a great ride.

These guys, Robert Houghton, Ryan Cano and Franklin Morris, understand that nixing up the dynamics of the song ensures the listener fully appreciates their talent. "Death of A French Whore" moves back and forth between raucous guitar rock and almost sweetly delivered 50's du-wop style tra-la-la vocal delivery. "My Scarlet Purpose" is a dark ballad of sorts, with simple jangly guitar and almost spoken vocals. It's much more simple and it's the perfect way to get grounded again after the raucous rebellion of the first track. "Dance The Vomit Shakes" is as close to pop as this album comes. It's catchy and you'll want to play it over again. The raucous onslaught returns with "Maidenhead"...with it's mumbled vocals and driving guitar.

Morris isn't a pretty-boy singer. He's got a gruff delivery that still manages to be extremely tuneful and rich. Rich with what? Emotion, drive, and just a little biting humor. It fits in with the fuzzy, distorted overall garage style of the recording, which is perfect, in my opinion, for the sound the band wants conveyed. Overly slick production would have ruined the overall appeal of this EP.

Besides wanting more, I can's say anything bad about this band. I would like to hear a full length release in the future to see how they manage to keep up the pace and energy over more than four tracks.

South of Mainstream

Back To Reviews Menu