The 48ks are a 5-piece Rock/Indie band from Doncaster, who have been described as “The greatest indie band Doncaster has every produced.” Their last EP, Caught Up In The Wrong was released a few months ago and is available to listen to on their SoundCloud.
The title of the EP connotes excitement tinged with dark elements like desperation and melancholy. The opening song, ‘Changing,’ is useful in achieving this because of the powerful chord intro and the excitement of the simple, propelling riff that leads into the song, sounding almost like an AC/DC song. Arguably the best and catchiest song on the EP, it is a strong opener, providing an interesting juxtaposition of the suppressed, almost laid-back vocals against the powerful chords, likening it to a sound similar to The Black Keys. The message of the melody is clear and convincing. The closing song of the EP, ‘Reason,’ aids this concordantly; the riff is more melodic and, though quite repetitive, the guitar solo and build up to the end of the song are effectively riveting.
The second song on the album, ‘Where The Wind Blows’ is different to these two as the plucking guitar patterns at the beginning contrast the energetic riffs of other songs. Unlike some of the other songs, it seems to express themes of love and complacency, but works these themes well into another slow, thrilling build up. However, the sound of the vocals seems to be flat at times and void of emotion, so although the song is less raucous, it isn’t quite melancholic either. The third song of the EP, ‘My Town’ is probably the weakest song on the EP as it tends to lag in your ear, but still supports the theme of power and the power struggle that pervades throughout the album. Although, by this point the EP seems to be confused as to where the power lies and whether the lyrics are leaning towards complacency or victory.
Overall, there is a lot of repetition in lyrics, chords and structure in all the songs of the EP and, though it fits in well with the bluesy genre, it can make some (but not all) of the songs seem static, killing the energy. Furthermore, despite the bold title of the EP, there is never really a moment of explosive excitement or development of the ideas presented by the mid-tempo blues rock genre, mostly due to the fact that the limited vocal range isn’t well exploited. That being said, this is an ambitious and promising EP and if it appeals to you, you should keep your eye on The 48Ks.
Words by Samm Anga
@skinnysammay