O Fracas – Fits and Starts

• 11th Jun 2008

For every Clash there is a Sham 69. For every Oasis a Menswear. For every Contender a Pretender. So in a scene dominated by irregular rhythms , and unexpectant time structures , seemingly daring to try something original in order to push boundaries forward inevitably there are going to be memorable moments and also rans. Where in this climate, does Leeds’s O fracas sit?

Well for a start , this appears to owe more to Pere Ubu and Gang of Four than Panic at the disco. “You’ve not got much to say” may be a daring gambit to go with , as on opening track Brouhaha but unfortunately lyrically it is followed by lyrics as dull as a Carole Malone article on the state of jam making.

Musically it doesn’t get much better , weve been here before and it has been bettered.
By the time we get to the formulaic dirge that is “Falling fast behind” it occurs to me that there is music people are born to make and music that is cultivated to fill gaps. This is the latter like painting by numbers or a DIY starter kit to post punk this follows the rules to form a tidy product but just doesn’t have that personality that comes by painting over the lines.

Sadly an also ran and not a winner.