This is the kind of review that gives me fits. The simple truth is that Atlanta trio the Head have talent and hooks to spare. The three songs offered to us on the Stockwood EP are well-constructed, immaculately recorded, emphatically catchy anthems that glide along smoothly at a measured, mid-tempo pace. Even more impressive is the group’s relative youth (all three members are currently in their freshmen year of college) and the fact that they’ve been able to buff their music to such a brilliant professional polish. You can credit much of that seasoned sound to two-time Grammy Award winning producer Don McCollister, who also manned the board for the group’s full-length debut, Puckered, in 2009. But—and you knew there would be a but—the dilemma that I keep encountering every time I listen to these three songs is the band’s utter lack of distinctiveness.
As tight and as confident and mature as they sound, the Head does little to stretch their formulaic pop-rock in any new directions. The opening track may have a nice piano-driven groove and impeccable vocals from keyboardist Mike Shaw, but there is nothing there to set it aside from, say, the Fray or Maroon 5. Even as the trio slides into more upbeat, rhythm and blues-based pop numbers like “Sneeze” and “The Ballad,” you can’t help but feel that you know exactly where the music is heading. Indeed, any sense of dynamism and unpredictability has been set aside or scrubbed clean, leaving the listener with little to do except to serve as a passive receptor. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with playing it safe and catering to pre-established trends, these guys are almost adamant in their effort to avoid offending any palate. In the end, this lack of imagination and unwillingness to take risks makes for a bland, rote EP, no matter how slick or well-produced.
Stockwood EP Track List:
01. Stockwood
02. Sneeze
03. The Ballad
More Info:
Web: www.theheadmusic.com
Bandcamp: www.thehead.bandcamp.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/theheadmusic
