Album Review: Mallory Knox - Pilot EP

As far as pop-rock is concerned, the market is usually divided between pop musicians who attempting to “rawk out” by adding distorsion to their guitars and overly melodramatic bands all to happy to splash out on expensive theatrical videos. In all this mess, it’s often easy to shut out many of the bands that try something different within conventions. If I had done so, I could have completely dismissed Mallory Knox, and a mistake that would’ve certainly been.

One of the most striking aspects here, or at least the most immediate, is Mikey Chapman’s use of a much lower tone of voice throughout the EP. His sultry voice serves as a guide on ‘Oceans’ and never wavers into the more common paper-thin falsetto territory that often sells best. The track itself is an example of well-constructed pop rock at its least pretentious and is a great platform for the heavier sections.

‘Resuscitate’ has staying power and is gorged with the same verve displayed by Canterbury in recent times. In fact many similarities can be drawn between the two bands, in as much as they both help bring credibility to British pop-rock by refusing to belittle it with cliché-ed “genre conventions”. ‘Promises’ and ‘Keeping Secrets’, if not quite as good as the two opening tracks, have their moments and are very decent songs in their own rights.

‘Q.O.D’ closes things off with a sum of everything this band succeeds in: massive choruses, heavy sections that don’t sound artificial and forced and soft sections that don’t tread overly emotional territory. The production allows for an effortless flow, and they even add soft female vocals to complete the grand slam.

Pop-rock is an easily tiresome genre, but Mallory Knox bring some credibility along with their sense of fun and, along with Canterbury, represent a breath of fresh air. Keep an eye out.

4/5

'Pilot' by Mallory Knox is released July 4th on A Wolf At Your Door Records.

Mallory Knox on Facebook, MySpace, and Youtube.

James Berclaz-Lewis