Customer Reviews

End of the Pier

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was introduced to this band via a Rocket Girl compilation, Peacon, was the song. I have waited until now to get my hands upon their debut album. Was this worth the wait, most definitely.
The Workhouse have their own unique sound which is so uplifting it's untrue. They have so many killer hooks in their music, that there's never a dull moment on this album. Peacon is just swirl of guitars,lifting the song and taking every last sound out of it. Ice Cream Van and John Noakes are just the stop,start kick ass moments that made The Chameleons moments stop the heart, but what The Workhouse do, is to push it that much further.
Steelworks,sea and sky, is more your Talk,Talk meets Mogwai, but has it's own identity.
If you think the album is going to be predictable, then Trading Estate comes from a place of it's own, it has a somewhat seemless style. To make matters worse and just as you feel like the trip is over, the title track 'The end of the Pier' has a more jagged edge, topped off with Ian Curtis style vocals, like we have no idea what's next.
What is next is three bonus tracks, Mr Sheen I can imagine must be a live favourite because you can tell when the big sound kicks in the fans must love it.
A must buy for people who Love, Like and have missed bands like The Chameleons,Talk,Talk and more so Kitchens of Distinction.
Bless this band.

Highly derivative though infused with far more vibrancy than the tepid follow-up.

This is sonic heaven all the way. This is the kind of cd you put on when all music has failed to get you going.

There's no great technical shocks or surprises but what we have here is just good honest 'Go for it' sonic mayhem. It kind of fills the void between EITS and Mogwai and The Cocteau Twins.

Just really good and honest. Just a shame Mrs Hooterburgerman
fails to see this or does he play in a band ?

The End of The Pier The Workhouse, I stole this off a friend at college because I could not stop playing Peacon, luckily for her, I returned it to her after buying it from Amazon. It gives me sheer pleasure to say that after leaving my boyfriend Peacon, gave me more pleasure than he ever did. It's funny that music can give you a high when you're feeling down. The rest of the album gave me optimism too. I love the moody tracks and the vocals add a new dimension also. They British, right ? I guess that's why they understand peoples emotions, not like my ex.

After hearing one song from this album -- the halfway decent "John Noakes" -- on a local college radio station and reading the positive comments on this site, I decided to purchase this CD. Major disappointment! With the exception of the aforementioned track, I have found all other songs actually PAINFUL to listen to. The band's mastery of their musical instruments appears minimal and, at times, it sounds like they're just tuning up. Yeah, they do the "cathedral of sound" thing like the Kitchens of Distinction, but this schtick is overused by The Workhouse and often sounds inappropriately placed in their songs. KOD's music is far superior to anything heard on this CD, so I'd recommend instead spending your money on "Love Is Hell" or another of that (now former) band's fine efforts. As for The Workhouse, well, they should consider spending more time in The PRACTICEHouse before heading back into the recording studio. (I'll be nice and refrain from offering the suggestion -- metaphorical, of course! -- that the band take a long walk off the "end of the pier".)

I BOUGHT THIS AFTER READING THE ON-LINE REVIEW. THE REVIEW MENTIONED SOME OF MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE BANDS, AND I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE WORKHOUSE, UNTIL NOW.

THIS IS A MUST FOR ALL YOU FANS OF THOSE GREAT LOST BANDS THAT MOVED YOU ONCE IN YOUR LIFETIME AND BECAME YOUR FRIEND WHEN YOU NEEDED THEM, THE CHAMELEONS, TALK,TALK AND KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION. THEY WOULD LIFT YOU WHEN NO OTHER MUSIC COULD. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE WORKHOUSE ALSO HAD THIS EXPERIENCE TOO.

QUITE AMAZING.