Cleo Malone

Fear Comes With Imagination EP

Written by: TL on 29/01/2009 11:46:22

What you always hope for when you pick up a band's first EP, is that you'll get a handful of new songs that will have talent, identity and potential beyond their years, turning you on to the band at once, making you know that when they blow up, you'll be the one who was there from the beginning. Needless to say that happens all too seldom, and in fact I'm not even going to predict that today's band in question, Cleo Malone of Copenhagen, is going to ever blow up into the slow awareness of the mainstream, but even if they don't, that just goes to prove how awesome music you're in danger of missing out on if you only pick up band names from radio and MTV. Cleo Malone's debut "Fear Comes With Imagination EP" is quite simply awesome and it delivers on all my hopes for it, even exceeding my expectations quite significantly.

On the first spin, the song that is immediately going to grab hold of your memory is the simple, yet deadly effective centerpiece "Hurricane", as it builds from mellow acoustics into an impressive demonstration of melancholia in its climax, added by more layers, more distortion and the singer's unforgettable delivery, taking points from Matt Bellamy's (Muse) notebook and manifesting itself in a melody that's going to stick with you indefinitely. This my friends, is how to write a song.

"I guess we all - turn out - to what our mothers feared.. No money - spared - and no safety gear.."

It's not the only shot in Cleo's gun though, as a few more spins should also get you hooked on at least the opener "The Way Down", as it teases your attention with its chuggy main riff and brands your mind when it raises to its chorus, complete with soaring chords and touching lines, only to break into noisy post-rock for a grand finale. As for the remaining three songs on offer, they are easily as interesting to listen to, if not as catchy. "Theft Of Compassion" goes for a more oldschool, mellow rock'n'roll expression in the veins of Led Zeppelin, "Pandora Pandora" is an entirely thoughtful and subtle passage, complimented by a harmonica in the place where its chorus would've been and the closing "Mercenaries Of Misery" is like a whispered threat, backed by a muscular riff in its ending, the impression of which keeps hanging in the air after the track is over.. Or maybe it's a promise for things to come?

I for one wouldn't mind that, as I've already revealed that I find "Fear Comes With Imagination EP" entirely awesome, especially in the passages where the thick atmospheres are blown open by intense, soaring riffage and dramatic vocal lines. This is some of the most memorable stuff I've heard from the Danish underground in a while, and I'll be seeing the band play as soon as I have the chance - Something you should consider doing too.

8

Download: Hurricane, The Way Down,
For The Fans Of: Muse, Led Zeppelin
Listen: myspace.com/cleomalone

Release Date 26.11.2008
**UNSIGNED BAND**


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