Jacobs Ladder

Back To Life EP

Written by: TL on 24/06/2011 19:54:46

While getting familiar with "Back To Life", the fifth EP by Miami-trio Jacobs Ladder, only one question returns to me continously. Why is this band still releasing EP's? Founded as far back as 2001, Jacobs Ladder have apparently been around the local touring circuit and back, and judging from the material on offer, these guys should have moved on to the league of LP-releasing a long time ago.

You see, listening to the five songs that make up "Back To Life", Jacobs Ladder prove to be fine merchants in the business of versatile and original pop-rock, who understand how to showcase several sides to their band, even on a short record. Take the three stand-out tracks from the disc; title-song "Back To Life", "The Silence" and "Home Alone Tonight". The latter is an anthemic emo-rocker in the veins of Matchbook Romance, while the former brings pop-punk alá Sugarcult to mind, and "The Silence" has a kind of poppy swagger that reminds me of Head Automatica or The Higher.

I guess if I had to name one band that compares to Jacobs Ladder no matter what they're doing here, it'd be The Audition, with the exception that Jacobs Ladder manage to engage my interest rather than piss me off via overly corny lyricism and pompous attitude. All three songs mentioned are examples of this, occuring in the order I mentioned them and increasing my good impression of the band from song to song.

That being said, there are five songs on the disc, and the ballad-y "Enchantment" joins the heavier, almost The Sleeping-ish "Scream (Railroad Tracks", in appearing noticeably less memorable than the other three songs. The latter still holds its on as a song, but the former is just too laid back and dull to inspire any emotion in this scribe. Hence the EP does end up a bit of a mixed bag from a band struggling to have a break-through, but I honestly think that if they can fill an album with material largely of the quality of the three best songs on "Back To Life", I don't see why they should need to look back after that. It's 'only' a matter of keeping the good ideas coming (and possibly getting some better album art).

Download: Home Alone Tonight, The Silence, Back To Life
For The Fans Of: Head Automatica, The Higher, The Audition,
Listen: myspace.com/jacobsladder

Release Date 08.04.2011
**Self-released**

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