Run, Walk! : 'I Hope This All Works Out So I Can Stop Standing On Even Amounts Of Manholes In The Street'
Released: 15th March 2010
Label: Holy Roar Records
I have to confess to knowing little about Run, WALK! outside of a few mentioned pieces in the press release. Namely, that they have been around for a couple of years, thrashing about in the background, and that they are incredibly young to be making such a din. Although, of course, that isn’t a particularly valid statement as Cave In made their debut at fifteen and that was heavy as sin.
Not to take away from them though, this is an incredibly mature effort for two young men, still a couple of years shy of escaping their teens. On this, rather lengthily titled, debut proper they have managed to amalgamate various different genres into to one genre smashing record. Combining the deafening heaviness of other Holy Roar acts such as Rolo Tomassi or Throats with the brutality-to-ambient ratio of stunning US acts such as HEALTH with the indie sensibility of forward thinking acts such as Bloc Party. I would definitely say they have intertwined elements of the aforementioned Cave In along with cult US supergroup Kid Kilowatt.
Opening track, “Back of My Mind” immediately demonstrates their grasp of the dynamics of heavy tunes, breaking out into a jagged riff before their raw vocals scream over the top leading to a pounding break down which explodes into a sea of chaos and technicality. Pretty much laid out their objectives there I feel.
Second track, “Projections On The Wall” hit’s somewhere between “hardcore band in indie mode” and Daughters. Which, as one might guess, is short, sharp and to the point as well as being beautifully bizarre. Then, “Trees Are Raw” kicks in with it’s rough vocal and surprisingly funky bassline which is blasted away by some serious noise rock which stops. Suddenly. And leads us through a gently breakdown before a serous assault on the ears, overseen by a shimmering, post-rock melody which leads us out to the close.
Smack in the middle of the record we hit the first moment of true indie sensibility as gentle Minus The Bear-esque twisted melodies slip sumptuously out of the speakers while harmonious vocals soar over the top. Then we are swept away by an enormous riff that is pure Cave In, in it’s monolithic nature and it’s beauty. The hilariously titled, “He Who Must Not Be Named” takes through a maelstrom of heavy and melodic juxtapositions and is possibly the most off the wall track on the record. While with, “Horizons”, the end is in sight, though we still have to fight through this monster of a track. A single minute of pure intensity. Do not take on lightly.
And with the title track, we are taken out on something new. Despite having taken in so many influences and styles across the record whilst making them their own, here they produce a five minute piece of post-rock shimmering in beauty, with glockenspiel samples and haunting electronic loops layered gently over the top, creating a rather wonderful sense of serenity to close out.
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