With an eye on the old-school and an ear for melody, Stretch Arm Strong shows that they're not your average hardcore band. The classical guitar opening of "When Sorrow Falls" proves this. But, seconds later, when the band starts speeding along ala old school hardcore, you also learn this band isn't for wimps. It's this strange dichotomy that drives the Stretch Arm Strong sound. The song "For Now" is a good example, starting with a piano solo, moving into speedy screaming harcore, then slowing down and ending with some harmonious background vocals. While this mixture of start/stop songs and melodic occasions isn't terribly original, the band manages to make it work together.
The vocals of lead singer Chris McLane are well done, his shouting distinctive and dynamic enough to move the music along. Production by Barry Poynter is good, with crisp sonics, though the music lacks some punch on some parts and tracks. Lyrically, the band sticks mostly to relationship and daily living issues, singing on songs such as "To A Friend(Lockdown)":
...and when you're
in the depths of despair,
know that, I'll
be there! I'll be there!
I'll comfort
you! ...until the end, my friend.
and then again on "When Sorrow Falls":
it's ok for me
to say I love you
and it's ok
for you to cry
the sorrow that
you are feeling you cannot deny
so why is it
so hard trying to express what you feel?
With a mature sound and some interesting twists added to the typical hardcore formula, Stretch Arm Strong has made a solid, if not exactly memorable, record. While there are some good songs, such as "When Sorrow Falls," "For Now," and "All We've Lost," the rest fail to live up to these stand-out tracks. Despite these shortcomings, the band has managed to put together a solid big-label debut, and hopefully they can use the better parts of this record to really make the next one rock.
By Joe Rockstroh 4-23-99
