Customer Reviews

Holes in the Wall

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

 

 

The best thing about this is the way your sister picks up all the words from the next room without even knowing the band's name, any of the song titles or having any previous interest in any of the music you like. 9 out of 12 tracks are original, spunky and perfectly produced to leave a really stylised, yet still cutting edge sound. The only disappointments are the three cloying ballads (It's Wasting Me Away (Track 5), Sleep Alone (Track 7) and Red Balloon For Me (Track 12)) that serve as reminders of why this band need to look before they leap in the future. I have also seen them live, and this facet of the band will be telling if they are to become the equivalent of Ash or Supergrass for the new millenium's Brit pop and rock lovers. They stank when I saw them, but I have the faith in this fine collection of sing-along anthems-in-the-making to expect that we will see more of the White brothers.

This very youthful duo from Brighton have delivered to us an album of great promise,they really sound like they could go on to become one the bigger acts over the next few years.It's amazing to think that two such young guys could produce such a mature and accomplished debut.There is nothing on this debut that makes them sound immature from both a musical or lyrical point of view.Don't be fooled by the name of the group as this album may have it's "softer" moments but there are plenty of louder parts too!

Their influences seem to be pretty numerous (as well as showing they're a group with excellent musical tastes) and they seem to change from track to track.Basically the tracks fall into 2 categories-basic up tempo rock songs or paired down new acoustic movement laidback tracks.In fact the first track manages to draw in both influences together.At times you think it sounds like Air and then when the louder chorus kicks in thiere is a real Pixies feel to it.The next 2 songs are very uptempo standard rock tracks.They're loud yet they have retained enough ear-catching melody that reminds me of Ash or Supergrass-especially as the group seem to be having plenty of fun into the bargain.Painful angst is kept down to a minimum.The next 2 tracks have a more laidback atmospheric feel to them.It's all got a late night sound-some acoustic,keyboards and some glorious vocal harmonies.Track 6 "Silent To The Dark"-the current single has a great mixture of sounds also.Acoustic sounds and vocoder vocals during the verses give way to a louder more up-beat and poppy chorus.It's a great choice as first single though it doesn't really warrant being 9 minutes long.The first 6 tracks are amazingly good-the quality takes a temporary dip during the next few tracks.Track 9 is a good return to form-the sound is more alt/rock from the U.S. then anything British.The chorus has an almost west coast punky feel without all the ....!The title track is a gentle ballad that almost has a Gallic sound to it.At times the vocals sound like an early Thom Yorke-in fact this track would be quite at home on Radiohead's "The Bends!"Of the 12 tracks I'd say 9 of them are excellent which is a good return.

The reports from the British music press has been very positive and they are beginning to get plenty of airplay on alternative radio.The Electric Soft Parade have shown on this c.d. that they have already begun to illustrate some of their enormous potential!

I love these guys. They are so wise beyond their years, musically and lyrically. The have a British pop rock sound to them that is so old faishioned, yet so unique, created by creative sound quirks and entertaining loops. Very hip. My faves are "Silent to the Dark", "This Given Line", "Empty at the End", and "Red Balloon For Me". Unfortunately, I don't own this cd, but have downloaded all of the songs. They rock. Some songs do get annoying after awhile, which is why I gave it four stars instead of five.

What makes an album unforgettable? Well, I guess everyone has a different opinion on that, but for me balance is the main criteria while evaluating an album. Oke, so an album has a couple of nice songs on it, but that makes it legendary? No, an album becomes legendary when ALL songs reach a certain admirable level. This is definitely the case with ESP's Holes in the Wall album. Fans of Muse, The Verve & Mercury Rev should pay attention because this album might just represent the coming out of a band that might just give these bands a run for their money! Can't wait for their follow-up!

Anyone who can appreciate the simple joy of a well produced great pop/rock tune and isn't too wrapped up in the White Rebel Strokes Club posturing 'indie' garage rock scene will appreciate every single song on this record.

Look, it's not brain surgery here. Just good hooks, good verses, good choruses, you know, good music. Not too predictable, definitely not too experimental. Elements of Teenage Fanclub, Fountains of Wayne and, dare I say it, Supergrass.

I hate their name. I hate their album cover. I LOVE their music.

A good friend of mine started on about these guys about 3 months ago. I started spreading the word about a week later. They're young, and there's only two of them, and "Something's Got To Give" is just, well, excellent. And so is nearly every other track. This has been firmly entrenched in my Top 5 of 2002 list and looks to make the cut within the top three.
Trust me. Shell out the bucks for the import. If you've found this review, you'll like it. A varied, rocking, sometimes soft, good-for-a-party disc that you can definitely sing along with. In fact, your next party will be that much better with this on the hi-fi. Guaranteed.

I like this album, but I think it may sound better if each of the instruments were played by a separate person. It doesn't have a live feel, since the whole thing is a mix of the two brothers playing all the instruments.
Also, I've found that on each song on the album: they start out singing a line of verses before the chorus, then, instead of singing a line of new verses, they sing the same old one...over and over and over again. It's really lyrically boring.
I was generous with the 4 stars just for the fact that all the new music that is played on radio in America is total trash. At least this has a different sound.

This is a very good album. It is great to know that there are good new groups out there. You get a nice mix of American rock and the more calm British rock. Hopefully these young artists will get better with age, although they can't improve too much. Track 6 - "Silent To The Dark" is a great song to sing along to, I have heard the song maybe 3 times but I cannot get the chorus out of my head. I agree with a previous reviewer, that this is the best release of 2002 so far, hopefully it will be a good music year.

Why bands like Alient Ant Farm can get airplay and ESP, like the Charlatans before them, are destined for obscurity in America is beyond me. I saw them play in London a few weeks ago and they put on a good show. If I had a car I would want to hear this as I drove out of Manhattan towards the beach on a hot summer weekend.

Wow, you can hear the influences coming through.. Beach boys, Boo Radleys, Supergrass, Ash, even Air are in there somewhere. The Electric Soft Parade have boiled them all up with a touch of inspiration and produced a fantastic british pop record. Its got the tunes and its got some great ideas too. Even though they wear their influences on their sleeves, they seem to have come up with something totally new and fresh. I can't stop playing it. Cheers Guys!