The Body Rampant

Framework EP

Written by: TL on 12/03/2010 23:14:55

I realize I'm starting to sound like tonight is that time of the month for me and that starting a review like I'm about to isn't going to help, but you know what I hate? Receiving promos for review that are singles or three track EPs. Normally I tell my friends to fuck off when they try to recommend me a band that have less than four or five songs to their name, because honestly, I think it's impossible to get a solid feel of a band or album based on such little material. That being said, the sweet sweet sound and sight that emanates from the myspace of The Body Rampant and the EP "Framework" was just too much for me to pass up.

So yeah, despite my annoyed introduction, this is the better of the three 'bands' I've reviewed so far tonight, and not only because the sole 'band member' behind this name, Jon Mathew Lopez, actually sounds like a real person (with flaws and everything), but also because his stuff sounds like he may have come up with it more or less on his own! Fantastic, I know!

The three songs on offer give off a vibe that's somewhere in between UnderOATH, As Cities Burn and The Almost, much lighter than the first, much less dragged out than the second and much less straightforward than the last. As you might guess, the vocals bear a slight similarity to Aaron Gillespie, with a ragged emotive performance, and behind them, the instruments present a twangy, experimental rock background. The best result is without a doubt in the opener the up-tempo, awesomely titled "Midwest Mistrust", which surges upwards as Lopez croons with increasing strain on his voice for an climax-line that sticks easily to the mind - I can't make out the words perfectly though, so I'll leave it for you to hear it on your own. Of the remaining two songs, I think the middle one, "Simply Don't Argue" has the least impact, being slightly more predictable in structure, and then I prefer for the closing "Artax Please!" to inhabit the second place in my imaginary top 3 over these songs, mainly due to some slick guitar work mid-song and some cool backing screams layered under the songs second half.

All in all, this EP manages to really reinstate my faith in music after two bands that sounded manufactured had all but taken it away for a brief second, mainly of course because it actually sounds real, but also because it shows off an artist who manages, entirely on his own, to craft music that doesn't immediately sound like something I've heard before. Combine that with unusual compositions, soulful vocals and some impressive guitar work here and there, and we have something I'm ready to recommend! I do wish however, hard as I know it might be, that Lopez will gather some more money in the future, and put some more songs together for a more wholesome impression of what he wants to do as an artist.

Download: The whole thing, right here, and the previous EP is available too!
For the fans of: UnderOATH, As Cities Burn, The Almost
Listen: myspace.com/thebodyrampantmusic

Release Date 17.11.2009
**UNSIGNED ARTIST**

Related Items | How we score?
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

Legal

© Copyright MMXXIV Rockfreaks.net.