Album Review

Roam – Head Down

• 18th Nov 2013

“This EP is all about getting your head down and trying to do stuff yourself” says Alex Adam, guitarist and vocalist of Eastbourne pop punks ROAM, and full credit to them for their DIY efforts.

‘Head Down’ is the band’s second release after 2012 mini-album ‘No Common Ground’ and whilst there’s a definite maturing of sound, this is still fairly standard pop punk fare. Boasting all the usual gang vocals, whoahs and infectious melodies, there’s no doubting that ROAM know their genre inside out, but are they really doing enough to distance themselves from contemporaries in Neck Deep, Transit, Gnarwolves et al?

The 1.20 minute romp of Sticker Slap is probably the highlight here, short and sweet with a deliciously wandering lead guitar line and full throttle galloping punk drums, but there’s not much else that holds interest or really slaps you round the chops. Undoubtedly this material will thrive in a live setting, preferably at the smallest, sweatiest shows possible – on record it’s a different story, with a disappointing lack of attention to songwriting it raises the real question here: it’s not whether ROAM are a good band, it’s whether they’re doing anything different enough for us to really need them amidst the swathe of similar artists currently emerging in the UK.

Whilst this might be a little unfair on a band still in their infancy, don’t get us wrong because ROAM definitely have potential, this release certainly isn’t breaking any boundaries. If anything, it’s served as a step in the right direction for putting the band on the map for a wider audience and has certainly piqued our interest, but we’ll need to see a little something more before we start to sit up and take real notice.

Venue: Head Down
Support Band: Pinky Swear Records