Phonotonal

The Race
Demo

The Race are a Reading based band keen to expand their circle outside of their home town. The hand-drawn CD, featuring a racing car that looks quite a bit like an old Vauxhall Cavalier, suggests a bedroom recording from a hopeless bunch of delusional friends. The music, however, suggests something else entirely.

The first track on this record takes a pleasant summery path with some beautifully hazy guitars and some really warm bass tones. The vocals are spot-on, not just delivering a rich melody, but also ensuring that the emotion of the lyrics gets across clearly.

Track two is a more inventive song with a punchy verse that suddenly becomes an intense chorus with vocal distortion and flurry of guitars that hint at a Muse influence. There is an angsty edge to the vocal in this track that is a testament to the range and power of the singer.

Throughout this demo, the drums and bass guitar lock together like a nail-glue spillage and form the driving force for the songs, allowing the guitars and keyboards to drop in and out with a variety of hooks.

One of the reasons this band get so many good reviews is because they seem to remind every writer of their favourite band whether it be The Pixies, Seafood, or Muse. This incredible broad appeal will make The Race popular with a broad audience, which is exactly what they deserve.

Written by Fenton on

Steve Fenton writes in our music, words, and culture categories. He was Editor in Chief for The Mag and covered live music for DV8 Magazine and Spill Magazine. He was often found in venues throughout the UK alongside ace-photographer, Mark Holloway. Steve is also a technical writer and programmer and writes gothic fiction. Steve studied Psychology at OSC, and Anarchy in the UK: A History of Punk from 1976-1978 at the University of Reading.
Fenton

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