Review → The Will – The Will EP (2009)
The Will - The Will EP
I’d never heard of the Will before yesterday. This SoCal trio popped onto my radar when I was hooked up with a copy of their eponymous debut EP, with the promise that it was very Hot Water Music-influenced. In fact, these boys even do a cover of HWM’s “Never Ender.” Well, I’m intrigued. I love me some Hot Water Music, and if they do too, I can at least give it a listen, eh?
Saying these guys like Hot Water Music could be the understatement of the year. More than a few times over the course of these six songs, they sound like they’re playing unreleased A Flight and a Crash b-sides or outtakes, particularly in the case of the opener, “The Lottery,” and “Time Alone.” Lead singer/guitarist Lucas sometimes vocally resembled No Division-era Chris Wollard’s gravelly screams. Not bad, I says to myself.
It’s not all HWM covers, though. Their press sheet lists off bands like Foo Fighters, the Doors (ugh), and Hendrix, and these more mainstream rock influences come up in the sprinkling of keyboards/piano on the album, like the bridge of “A Million Times.” It slows it down and gets all sensitive radio ballad-y (albeit with the same whiskey-soaked voice), with acoustic guitar and power rock piano. Not sure how I feel about that, but I have a low tolerance for mainstream rock’n'roll, it seems, so your mileage may vary. At any rate, it’s a brief interlude, and the driving, midtempo rock picks back up shortly after.
All in all, I definitely enjoy the music I have here, and think these guys show a lot of promise. As it stands, they’ve produced a solid, catchy set of songs here that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to my similarly-minded (read: bearded, Punknews.org readers) compatriots. The EP has that gruff-voiced, post-hardcore-influenced sound that I love so, while having enough personality to not sound utterly derivative of their influences.
Disclaimer: I’m obligated to inform you that I was provided a copy of this EP by their marketing agency, Lafamos. Hilariously, the download page is titled “Triumph of ‘The Will,’” you know, like Leni Riefenstahl’s infamous Nazi propaganda film.
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