Five O'Clock Heroes - Bend To The Breaks Album Review

Five O'Clock Heroes
Bend To The Breaks
AlbumReview

To say that we make a big thing of overseas relations, mainly with America!!! Well sometimes you don't need to do this via politics. In music it has been achieved, it is hard enough being in a band when you are all from the same area never mind different countries. Five O'clock Heroes are currently successfully achieving this. The band that are based in New York have two band members from America in the shape of Elliot and Nader, and two from the United Kingdom in the shape of Antony and Sam. So in short who cares if Blair and Bush meet up for a petty photo opportunity, thank god for music!

Bend The Breaks is the debut album to come from the Five O'clock Heroes, and they kick off the album with Head Games, which sets up what is a consistent album with jerky riffs and that kind of vocal sound that sounds so original, but at the same time it sounds like someone else, but you can't quite put your finger onto it. We lead onto the single Time On My Hands, this is a single to help publicise you if there was ever one. The track has massive hints of pop to it, but don't think that is a criticism cause at the end of the day if that's what gets you on that next step, then so be it. Run To Her is a bit of a faster track again with the jerky guitar riffs and Atony's never changing vocal performance, but there is no need for him to change that at all. Later on into the album we get to Skin Deep that has that sing a long chorus feel to it especially after a few beers.
White Girls comes along next and I am very surprised that they got away with naming a song this, especially in the current state of affairs in these times. Yet to me, this is one of there most catchy songs and Antony really does hit the button with this vocal performance. We head to the last track Give It Up and we finish the album how we started it with the jerky catchy riffs and the drums actually get a bit more action in this song.
.But that is not the end! If you leave your CD running then there is a bonus acoustic track, which actually blows you away. Disappointingly is how many people will miss this?

In conclusion there are many ways to describe this album, catchy, snappy, poppy, clean, consistent or sounds the same all the way through. The only thing that the album is missing is that song that stands out and states listen to us we are the Five O'clock Heroes. There is something there though and the second album will be interesting as I am sure that the American/English band will be around for a second album. Also I have it on good authority that live they do offer that something else.

Mark Moore