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Uncommonmenfrommars

Longer Than An EP, Shorter Than An Album

Written by: PP on 08/09/2008 14:49:53

Uncommonmenfrommars have long been considered one of the finest punk rock acts in Europe. Hailing from France, a rather unusual location for a big punk band if you ask me, these guys have been following in the footsteps of bands like Lagwagon and Millencolin for long, whilst crafting their own, unique sound in the process, helped by their singer's easily recognizable, apathetic vocal style.

What we're dealing with here is "Pennybridge Pioneers"-era Millencolin sound, based entirely on medium pace power chords, a nice punk rock drumbeat and heavy focus on all things melodic. The songs range from the slow "Authority Freak" (which is fantastic lyrically, by the way) to the faster ones like "Deadly Prank", which has a great chorus you can't help but sing along to. "The Boy Who Had No Name" sounds a lot like "The Land Of The Free"- or "About Time"-era Pennywise, featuring hard hitting guitars produced to sound intimidating and tight, while the vocalist sounds angry and pissed off without having to move away from actually singing the songs instead of shouting or yelling.

The different styles don't stop there. "Falling Back In Line" is twice as slow as any other track on the album, and its melodramatic verses and calm choruses add nice flair to the band's sound. Then there's the occasional NUFAN-ish guitar melody present especially on the latter half of the album to top things off nicely. It must be mentioned here, however, that even though you can hear nuances of different bands throughout the record, the sound remains undeniably theirs. In other words, Uncommonmenfrommars have achieved a signature sound that you can't attach to anyone else than them, thanks mostly to their awesome vocalist who knows how to use his somewhat unusual voice to his advantage.

"Dictionary Man" is a humorous song about a dude who memorizes difficult words trying to come across as a more educated and 'better' man than others. It's another demonstration of the band's great lyrics that, for once, don't deal with politics or social problems. Instead, the band focuses on more tangible things that many people can recognize in their lives.

Overall, "Longer Than An EP, Shorter Than An Album" features around thirty minutes of great quality punk rock that recalls the golden late 90s era when this style of music was thriving around the world. Perhaps it isn't as great as the classics in the genre, but it's nonetheless a nice record and a must buy for anyone who wants to get to know one of the best punk rock bands in Europe.

Download: Dictionary Man, The Boy Who Had No Name
For the fans of: No Use For A Name, Millencolin, Pennywise
Listen: Myspace

Release date February 2008
At(h)ome / UFO prod / Kicking records