CategoryCD Mike

EP: The Rapids

May 13, 2012 Off By Jon

Bear with me for this…

So I personally like to think that I’m a fairly peaceful guy, not a fan of confrontation, and would just sort of sit down and cry if I got in a fight.

However, it’s a less than perfect world we live in, and I’m sure the day where I get my face punched in isn’t too far away. It’s just fate, or destiny or genetics or something.

So the setting, a gig would be great, so people could divert their attention elsewhere than to the whimpering teenager with a broken nose. Which brings me on to the soundtrack.

If I were to choose any local band that would play the theme tune to my downfall, it would have to be The Rapids.

The Rapids, five Portsmouth men who play fight music. This unsigned band have a gritty, no nonsense approach to rock in their recently released seven track mini album which was, and I quote “made in a friends living room and mixed in a similar environment with many glasses of red wine.”

So, all pretty down to earth then.

The tracks themselves display both technical and musical competence, I don’t know what kind of living room this was recorded in, but I want it, the balance between instruments and vocals is impressive!

Onto the music though; songs that stood out for me were “Can’t Start”, “Maybe It’s You” and “Another Light”. All of these anthems have distorted, fuzzy riffs that carry some real weight behind them. Frontman Josh “JBird” Elkington has a fairly powerful voice that goes along well with the minimalistic attitude of this EP. Gutsy, I think, would be the best way to describe the set of pipes on this guy. Especially in the aforementioned “Can’t Start”, the riff is by far the catchiest of the entire album, and combined with the impressive vocals, that makes for my favourite song on the entire EP.

Actually, getting back to the opening metaphor (as if I haven’t tortured it enough), that would be the song playing in the background for a fight. It got me amped up, ready for anything and felt just like I was hearing it live, which is probably one of the best ways to hear a song.

So, beneath all that, in short, I really liked this 7 song endeavour, The Rapids have swept me up, thrown me from side to side and dragged me under. Feel good, powerful, great listening, right here.

And speaking of seeing them live, if you feel like heading over somewhere to see this Portsmouth rabble do their thing, then the next show around these waters is July the 13th, at Guildfest in Guildford!

Go on, you know you want to, it’ll be worth it.

The Rapids – 1
Most Other Things – 0

Line Up
Joshua Elkington
Phil Crawford
Jamie Ware
David Bicheno-Samways

Track Listing
Another Light
Overflow
Lifeline
Can’t Start
Maybe It’s You
Waves
Everything (Summer)

Videos