Susan Frances
04/04/08, 08:26 PM
Mr. Lighweight - If Anyone’s Listening
Record Label: None
Release Date: January 2008
If Anyone’s Listening, the debut EP from Carlow, Ireland’s pop punk quartet Mr. Lightweight, is a genuine testament to the burgeoning group of Irish musicians who are attracted to the brawny rock riffs of The Foo Fighters and the pop punk energy of Fall Out Boy. The revving motors are stoked by guitarist Kristian McGrath and lead vocalist/lead guitarist Des Foley on the track “Debs Song.” The track stretches the guitar lengths to runway proportions as the bulging bass lines of Spud Murphy and the baulking drumbeats of Pat Byrne cause the melodic strips to rhythmically buckle. These songs are proof of pop punk’s ability to kick chords into high gear.
Though If Anyone’s Listening only has six tracks, it gives fans a good indication of what Mr. Lightweight do. Their pop punk-trumped flusters create cycling avalanches with “Twelve Majestic Live” and “Sun Bed,” which has a beach party, fun vibe reminiscent of New Found Glory. The interception of ska harmonies on “The Simon J. Byrne Instrumental Experiment” inflates the pop punk and forms unifying clusters, while the guitar swags of “Time is the Only Enemy” produce thrilling raptures that are relatable to The Foo Fighters. Mr. Lightweight turn to a more rootsy rock sound on “Dog Without His Bone,” which has a tinge of country in the acoustic guitar strokes but still rings like a rock tune. The lyrics are hard to decipher, but the words of “Dog Without His Bone” make it seem like the band miss out on seizing opportunities when one comes their way: “I just stood and stared, and handed you my phone / These last 48 hours have made me feel like a dog without a bone.”
The band’s plot lines are original, although the music shows many influences of recognizable pop punk. Mr. Lightweight admit on their website that they formed in 2007, but their EP If Anyone’s Listening would have you believe that they have been together much longer. The EP does not disappoint, and the band seems eager to go from being pop punk stewards to being active participants when the forerunners decide to call it quits.
Fall Out Boy, New Found Glory, The Foo Fighters
myspace.com/mrlightweight (http://www.myspace.com/mrlightweight)
Record Label: None
Release Date: January 2008
If Anyone’s Listening, the debut EP from Carlow, Ireland’s pop punk quartet Mr. Lightweight, is a genuine testament to the burgeoning group of Irish musicians who are attracted to the brawny rock riffs of The Foo Fighters and the pop punk energy of Fall Out Boy. The revving motors are stoked by guitarist Kristian McGrath and lead vocalist/lead guitarist Des Foley on the track “Debs Song.” The track stretches the guitar lengths to runway proportions as the bulging bass lines of Spud Murphy and the baulking drumbeats of Pat Byrne cause the melodic strips to rhythmically buckle. These songs are proof of pop punk’s ability to kick chords into high gear.
Though If Anyone’s Listening only has six tracks, it gives fans a good indication of what Mr. Lightweight do. Their pop punk-trumped flusters create cycling avalanches with “Twelve Majestic Live” and “Sun Bed,” which has a beach party, fun vibe reminiscent of New Found Glory. The interception of ska harmonies on “The Simon J. Byrne Instrumental Experiment” inflates the pop punk and forms unifying clusters, while the guitar swags of “Time is the Only Enemy” produce thrilling raptures that are relatable to The Foo Fighters. Mr. Lightweight turn to a more rootsy rock sound on “Dog Without His Bone,” which has a tinge of country in the acoustic guitar strokes but still rings like a rock tune. The lyrics are hard to decipher, but the words of “Dog Without His Bone” make it seem like the band miss out on seizing opportunities when one comes their way: “I just stood and stared, and handed you my phone / These last 48 hours have made me feel like a dog without a bone.”
The band’s plot lines are original, although the music shows many influences of recognizable pop punk. Mr. Lightweight admit on their website that they formed in 2007, but their EP If Anyone’s Listening would have you believe that they have been together much longer. The EP does not disappoint, and the band seems eager to go from being pop punk stewards to being active participants when the forerunners decide to call it quits.
Fall Out Boy, New Found Glory, The Foo Fighters
myspace.com/mrlightweight (http://www.myspace.com/mrlightweight)