(not actual cd cover, it was the only one I could find on their myspace)
At four years old Brick Vs Face have come a long way. In fact, at four years old, the Bricks might be New Zealand’s oldest hardcore band. They’ve come past the awkward teething stage of finding their sound and the difficulty of their vocalist leaving. In the meantime released two demos and two albums popped across the Tasman and had about a million t-shirt designs. In short, they’ve done more than the majority of bands in new Zealand ever do, and they’ve done it all themselves.
If I may quickly address the vocalist change…for someone who’s good friends with both vocalists, I feel torn between them. There’s no denying HD is a more energetic front man, but by taking Isaacs spot, he changed Bricks into something they weren’t before, namely: a serious band. Which, depending on how you understood the ethos of Brick Vs Face, may or may not be an issue. Isaacs DIY, casual, syllable cramming style is far removed from HD’s in your face attitude. Basically, yeah they’ve changed, but I honestly think the change made Bricks into a better band.
So anyway onto the album. It’s aggressive yet fun, rocky but still fast, in short it’s damn good. Musically, it’s definitely a progression from In Your Face. I say that because the dynamics and composition of each song mean that each instrument gets their turn and their own space. The songs aren’t merely rift following rift, but are given space to breathe and build.
The stand out tracks for me are Stereotypes, Gotta Go Crazy and The Truth Hurts. The album lyrics are essentially about city living, being yourself and finding your own space in cold and miserable society. The lyrics themselves are angsty outbursts of frustration and more personal than political, but there’s a communality in their themes that help each song find empathetic ears. My favourite lines of the album have to be ‘Did the 20th Century teach you nothing? Were you dropped on your head at birth or something?’ Gold bro, gold!
Perhaps the only disappointment with the album is the sound / production. It lacks the aural punch of the majority of modern hardcore, but, in the same breath, it sounds more like how you’d hear the Bricks live, and that’s an aesthetic that you either like or don’t. The drums are a bit lost in the mix and the guitars are a bit thin. That’s not saying it’s not tight or cohesive overall as a mix, its just not what most hardcore bands of the 2000’s sound like. The artwork however, in simple yellows and blacks and harkening back to minor threat cements the albums ‘old school’ feel and features live shots and some pretty choice artwork by HD.
If you grabbed their 'Under New Managament' demo, your gunna recognize some of the songs on the album, but theres goodies on the album that you shouldn't miss out on.
I’ll give it a 3.5 / 5, it would have got a 4 if it sounded better. But you should buy it and make up your own mind,
http://www.myspace.com/brickvsface
Mon Mar 31, 2008