Champion Jack - EP

Track Listing:

1. Collisions
2. Godzuki
3. Godzilla
4. Collisions (Acoustic)

17/09/14

Champion Jack's opening song, Collisions, is a brilliant celebration of everything rock. Whilst I feel that there is more to be desired from the vocals at times, the rest of the band fit together well and I'm not sure if I'm just thinking of the famous Many Of Horror Lyrics, but there is a feel of Biffy Clyro about this album - minus the Scottish accent. Collisions has a brilliant breakdown near the end in which time signatures are thrown on their head with the efficiency of a baby throwing his toys out of the pram - this band show that their songwriting means business.
The lyrics are something that could be easily sung along to (and now, and now I feel like I'm home) but the vocal performance is, I must confess, a little boring at times. The vocalist needs to throw himself at the vocals more, in my opinion - pour more angst and shouty volume into your work to compliment the angy guitars!
Collisions flows into Godzuki - well - without paying attention, one wouldn't notice that the songs had changed - not due to the songs being too similar but due to the EP retaining a similiar 'feel' throughout. Palm mutes invite the verse and a steady beat is established - but soon enough, the second guitar opens up and allows the pre-chorus/chorus to come along and thus does what the band does best - rock out!
Godzilla opens with a catchy guitar hook that makes this my favourite track of the EP. The chorus of this song really allows the guitar to shine, using subtle overdrive. The bridges further enhances the guitarist apparent skill with the professional use of some delay. This guitarist seems to have a solid pedalboard and the know-how how to use it, well.

I must confess, when I first saw that there was an acoustic track of one of their own songs on the EP I was unsure why - surely the band should focus on getting more different songs in?
I could not have been more wrong. The guitar is totally different than in the first version and I much prefer this version of the track. The vocals which I previously denounced as boring work much better in this version.. He seems to be more comfortable to experiment with tone and pitch a little more, and his words are expertly accompanied by light reverb which works perfectly. The guitar here sounds like a quality recording - this band has seriously thought about how they were going to go about recording this acoustic version, not just played it all the same with acoustic guitars. Top marks for this song. The only possible criticism I could think for this is that in places, some violin/orchestral instruments would have worked perfectly.

I'm not allowed to link you to the soundcloud with these tracks, as I do beleive it hasn't been released yet - but I'll say, if your a Biffy Clyo fan, or a fan of this band, get ready for some solid tracks - especially with the hidden gem at the end.
6/10

Check out the band: https://facebook.com/ChampJackBand