Album Review: Say Yes - 'Say Yes'

28 August 2014 | 5:15 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Cool rock definitely isn't dead.

More Say Yes More Say Yes

After the final curtain call for Alexisonfire (with this reviewer citing them as their favourite band), it was always going to be an interesting opportunity to see each talented musician move onto different projects. Drummer Jordan Hastings has since created Say Yes and their recent self-titled EP couldn’t be further from the abrasive stylings of his previous outfit.

Say Yes are more likely to fit closer to Queens of the Stone Age on the rock end of the spectrum, with the catchy rhythms of ‘Sleep Off The Morning’ latching onto some of the magic which Josh Homme obviously has stashed away. Simple drum lines categorise the album, but there are points where a soundtrack to drinking beers in the sun doesn’t need rapid fills and complicated signatures; here, Say Yes fills the role perfectly.  The upbeat tempo of each of the tracks belies the dark side of the EP however, with lost love and a gloomy view of the world playing a major part in Hastings’ songwriting. Substituting any member of the Arctic Monkeys into a role in Say Yes wouldn’t sound out of place either, with ‘M.M.M’ bringing swagger that’s been sorely lacking from anywhere apart from British rock in recent years.

Distorted guitars energise the EP and keep it from sounding too stale, however there can be points where the album as a whole begins to wear a tad thin with the exact same tone continuing throughout the majority of Say Yes. It’s safe to say that this is an album of singles rather than a cohesive whole, with each song standing better on its own. In a world of singles faring better than albums though, this isn’t exactly the worst possible fate for Say Yes to have sealed for themselves on their debut. Pretending the chorus of ‘Sunrise’ will leave your head after you’ve given it multiple listens is a fool’s outing as well, because the band guarantee that “you better run, better run” will leave your mouth throughout the day without realising.

For those naysayers who say rock is dead, Say Yes have given them a middle finger straight from the days where distorted guitars and 4/4 beats topped the charts. If you’re feeling bereft after listening to ‘AM’ too many times, Say Yes should serve to fill the void with their highly enjoyable debut EP.

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Euphoric Narcotic Pleasantly Hallucinant

Sunrise

Sleep Off The Morning

M.M.M.

To See The World

Blood From A Stone

Euphoria