Kyoto Drive
We were recently contacted by Birmingham based Kyoto Drive to see what we thought about their latest offering, The Approach. Having already supported the likes of Young Guns and Hit The Lights, this 4 piece punk unit seem to be on the road to the big time, so I figured it was only right I check out what was going on for myself.
As Receive This Little Breath gets things going, there’s an immediate sense of calm and tranquillity created, the soft piano line ushering in the beginning of the track and forming a sound which is going to take you to a whole new place. Calm yet packed with different elements and levels, there’s a massive punch from this track despite their laid back approach, adopting elements of atmospheric rock as well as more advanced, technically progressive style effects as well. In all, the opening moments of this track may well be an introduction to the album getting going properly, but as Holiday is ushered in there’s no doubt in my mind that these guys know what they’re doing. Catchy and upbeat from the off, this is a more conventionally ‘pop-punk’ style track, yet they’ve still managed to incorporate huge sounds into what could be a relatively simple track if they’d settled with it. The chorus was always going to be the key to a track like this, and it doesn’t disappoint. Powerful, catchy and the sort of thing that’s going to send shivers down your spine, this is some seriously accomplished stuff going on.
Moving on to So Much Alive the beat continues to remain up, once again launching us into a track which is full of intricate guitar moments, pulsating bass lines and pounding drums, all forming around you to envelop you in the atmospheric punk rock approach that the band have created. Throwing in another catchy chorus to keep everyone singing along, this is a track which is going to kill on the live scene as simply, there’s not going to be a single person who won’t be singing along! Faking Laughs For Photographs comes up next and once again throws a slightly different approach into the mix, this time opting for a far more rocky style intro which harks more towards the bands heavier influences. As strange a comparison as it might sound, the sound these guys have achieved is the sound that I imagine Angels and Airwaves were trying to achieve, that out there and uplifting punky approach which encourages the listener to think about what they’re hearing rather than just accepting it. Yet another catchy chorus is soon upon as and once again, I found myself singing along and wanting to see these guys live.
Breathe follows on and seems to once again raise the level of the album, standing out as a high point for sure. Catchy, upbeat and full with elements which encourage you to listen harder, this is another track which could be seen as simple at face value, but when you delve beneath the surface you realise there’s more to it. That’s half of the appeal of Kyoto Drive I think they’ve managed to craft a sound which is intricate without being imposing, clever without being condescending in any way. Chapters on the other hand makes no bugs about what it is, this time simply offering us a raucous track which is going to get people moving, venues pumping and records flying off of the shelves. Once again leaning more towards their rockier roots, this is another live anthem in the waiting, and the sort of track which is going to make a damned good single release!
Closing with You Never Knew, the band seem to have saved a bit of a surprise for the end of the album, calming everything down and once again proving that this isn’t just a punk band, this is a group of musicians. Soft, powerful piano lines pave the way before ushering in the other elements of the band, the mix once again wrapping around you and leading you to a place where there’s nothing else that matters, it’s all about the music. Building throughout the track, in my opinion, the band have saved the best track for last here, and the final moments on this record leave me with no doubt that Kyoto Drive are here, and are going to have one hell of an impact.
My personal feelings are that Kyoto Drive have undersold themselves on their FB page, stating that they’re a punk band when quite simply, they’re way more than that. This is an album which is going to get you to think, make you remember, sooth your issues and rile you up about other things, all the time letting you know that no matter what you feel, the music is there to make it all better. The result – an album which evokes an emotional response, which is surely the hall mark of one hell of an achievement for a band!
To find out more about Kyoto Drive, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
As Receive This Little Breath gets things going, there’s an immediate sense of calm and tranquillity created, the soft piano line ushering in the beginning of the track and forming a sound which is going to take you to a whole new place. Calm yet packed with different elements and levels, there’s a massive punch from this track despite their laid back approach, adopting elements of atmospheric rock as well as more advanced, technically progressive style effects as well. In all, the opening moments of this track may well be an introduction to the album getting going properly, but as Holiday is ushered in there’s no doubt in my mind that these guys know what they’re doing. Catchy and upbeat from the off, this is a more conventionally ‘pop-punk’ style track, yet they’ve still managed to incorporate huge sounds into what could be a relatively simple track if they’d settled with it. The chorus was always going to be the key to a track like this, and it doesn’t disappoint. Powerful, catchy and the sort of thing that’s going to send shivers down your spine, this is some seriously accomplished stuff going on.
Moving on to So Much Alive the beat continues to remain up, once again launching us into a track which is full of intricate guitar moments, pulsating bass lines and pounding drums, all forming around you to envelop you in the atmospheric punk rock approach that the band have created. Throwing in another catchy chorus to keep everyone singing along, this is a track which is going to kill on the live scene as simply, there’s not going to be a single person who won’t be singing along! Faking Laughs For Photographs comes up next and once again throws a slightly different approach into the mix, this time opting for a far more rocky style intro which harks more towards the bands heavier influences. As strange a comparison as it might sound, the sound these guys have achieved is the sound that I imagine Angels and Airwaves were trying to achieve, that out there and uplifting punky approach which encourages the listener to think about what they’re hearing rather than just accepting it. Yet another catchy chorus is soon upon as and once again, I found myself singing along and wanting to see these guys live.
Breathe follows on and seems to once again raise the level of the album, standing out as a high point for sure. Catchy, upbeat and full with elements which encourage you to listen harder, this is another track which could be seen as simple at face value, but when you delve beneath the surface you realise there’s more to it. That’s half of the appeal of Kyoto Drive I think they’ve managed to craft a sound which is intricate without being imposing, clever without being condescending in any way. Chapters on the other hand makes no bugs about what it is, this time simply offering us a raucous track which is going to get people moving, venues pumping and records flying off of the shelves. Once again leaning more towards their rockier roots, this is another live anthem in the waiting, and the sort of track which is going to make a damned good single release!
Closing with You Never Knew, the band seem to have saved a bit of a surprise for the end of the album, calming everything down and once again proving that this isn’t just a punk band, this is a group of musicians. Soft, powerful piano lines pave the way before ushering in the other elements of the band, the mix once again wrapping around you and leading you to a place where there’s nothing else that matters, it’s all about the music. Building throughout the track, in my opinion, the band have saved the best track for last here, and the final moments on this record leave me with no doubt that Kyoto Drive are here, and are going to have one hell of an impact.
My personal feelings are that Kyoto Drive have undersold themselves on their FB page, stating that they’re a punk band when quite simply, they’re way more than that. This is an album which is going to get you to think, make you remember, sooth your issues and rile you up about other things, all the time letting you know that no matter what you feel, the music is there to make it all better. The result – an album which evokes an emotional response, which is surely the hall mark of one hell of an achievement for a band!
To find out more about Kyoto Drive, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls