Search - South :: Speed Up: Slow Down Ep

Gone South

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 02/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's been three years since South's second album landed in record stores. So Britpop fans can rejoice at their return in the "Speed Up/Slow Down" EP, where the lads demonstrate their skills at all kinds of music (and only marred by some muddy sound quality).



It opens with a weird bubbling noise, which slowly gives way to a subtle, fast-running pop melody that swirls in circles of smooth guitar and delicate singing. Then with the title track, they opt for a different sound -- a catchy, sunny indierock tune. It sounds ALMOST like something made for radioplay, except for the moments where it... slows... way... down... like an old cassette player with bad batteries. Then it revs up again.



After that, South returns to a more brooding sound. "Fight Your Cause" is a haunting Britpop tune, with a gentle wobble of electronic sound under the solid drums and guitars. And "Supercede" is a tight, robust rock song with a slightly ominous feeling.



The most entrancing song is probably "Addiction to Fiction," which opens with a swell of electronica, before blooming into a low-key guitar melody. Joel Cadbury sings wistfully, "The writing's on the wall/it would take a fool to/believe all they read now..."



Some bands start off well and get worse, but South only seems to be growing better with time. Their second album improved on their first, and "Speed Up/Slow Down" only shows that they have grown even further. I can only imagine what Album No. 3 is going to sound like.



Obviously it's got the usual rock mix -- percussion, guitar, bass, and keyboards. The heart of it are the smooth guitar and the subtle percussion, which can rise up and bounce if required. But South weaves in electronic undercurrents, which give an ethereal feeling to each song. Sometimes it even sounds a bit orchestral.



Joel Cadbury is better than ever in this EP, proving himself a versatile vocalist in every song. Seriously, he can do them all; he sounds like a different person in some songs. He can sound disdainful and gruff, merry and lighthearted, and even the echoing murmur of "Addiction to Fiction," where he sounds like his heart is breaking.



The sole flaw? Probably the production; as exquisite as the music is, the production is not so great, adding a muddy quality to certain songs. The final minute of the first song is absolutely magical, with the blur of sweet voices and whirl of instrumentation, but the magic is dulled by the sound quality.



Five very different songs show the range of South's skills, and leave you hungry for whatever they create next. Beautiful and sometimes breathtaking."

Awesome EP

Brad | 10/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"sounds like a mix between radiohead and U2, but don't think they're just another disposable pop group ripping off their idols. the songs on this EP show plenty of originality and clever little details that make the music an intriguing listen. the, uh, slow down and speed up on the turntable effect on the title track messes with your head, but it's great. buy this album, it's an ep. it's cheap."

A nice surprise

manueldsottir | 05/13/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this because I couldn't wait for the lp to be out to have more of South. A Place In Displacement isn't one of my favourite songs of theirs and I had only heard Supercede (which I liked quite a lot, it's really catchy) when I got this ep.

And what a surprise! Fight Your Cause and Addiction To Fiction are two of the best songs they've made. Really beautiful stuff... Amazing. It's a shame they're not on the album (Adventures In The Underground Journey To The Stars)...

I don't think the title track is anything special, but this ep's worth the money for those three great songs: Addiction To Fiction, Fight Your Cause and Supercede."