Newcastle pop-punk outfit First Time are no strangers to the review pages of Punktastic. Twice before the band have come under the microscope and received a number of positive comments. For their latest seven-track demo, the band hooked up with producer Iain Wetherell, in an attempt to take their sound to the next level.
The first thing that strikes you about this seven-track effort is the production, which is no doubt what the band were hoping for. This is pop-punk at it’s slickest. Think of any random Drive Thru band from the last couple of years and you will have some idea of the sound quality on offer here.
Now a good sound is important, but what any pop-punk band needs, especially a UK one, is a set of songs to really stand out in a very overcrowded genre. In this respect, First Time mange to paradoxically succeed and fail in equal measures. There is no doubting the tracks here are of a high standard. Fans of this particular genre will no doubt lap up the infectious ‘Be All You Can Be’ and the rousing finale of ‘Max’. The other impressive aspect of this band is that they are all strong musicians – a point probably best showcased on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’. However, despite the quality of the songs, I couldn’t help but be left with the feeling that at the moment First Time are just another pop-punk band. Here in lies the problem for any UK pop-punk outfit. If you are going to play this genre then how do you stand out from your better know and better marketed American counterparts?
This Seven-track demo is by no means a bad record. In fact, the songs, coupled with the sound quality, make this the best material First Time have produced thus far, and it’s certainly an enjoyable listen. If they want to make the leap to the next level though, they are going to need something extra. What the band are really crying out for are a couple of killer tracks that stamp their identity on the genre, rather than letting the genre stamp it’s identity on them. If they can do that, then this band have the talent to go far…
Mark