secret fireworks

Common Bred Trigger's debut EP "The Curse Of Teflon Don" is an intriguing rock release that never quite hits top gear and leaves me banging my head against a proverbial brick wall. Featuring more melancholy than a widow's never ending monologue, CBT set their stall out in "In Trails" with Nirvana tinged guitars and strong vocals. The lyrics aren't the most philisophical in the world, but there's the occasional memorable line ("In hindsight, things look better, somewhat blackened, somewhat wetter"). This is rock by numbers: there's nothing revolutionary here and it chugs along with ease with some great drumming, but part of me wishes CBT would go out on a limb and try something a little crazy."Lock And Key" is the best track on the EP in my opinion: there's a lovely little guitar riff while Karl's vocals take prominence, with the song switching from tender to bitter within seconds. The backing vocals are a real treat and I can imagine this being a real joy to see live: the question and answer style outro is ridiculously catchy.

"When Will It Stop?" marks a return to the original formula of driving, ominous guitars and perpetual darkness- I've never been a fan of shouty/screamy vocals and this track sadly features them in abundance. Once again, it's rock by numbers. There's nothing really wrong with "When Will It Stop" and indeed there's nothing wrong with the EP. CBT clearly have potential and they will create the deep dark sound they seem to be searching for. Karl's vocals are excellent: very clear, rich and strong. I just wish they'd stick their necks out, be a little bit more adventurous and record the results. The Curse Of Teflon Don is a promising EP that's just not quite there yet.

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