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Attractive is of rich musical pedigree. The band includes Josh English of Six Going on Seven and three-fifths of venerable hard rock mainstay Snapcase. But don't be fooled by their provenance. Dead serious about low art, this three-song debut summons the ghosts of post-punk past, present, and future; eerily familiar, yet decidedly modern; everything they've learned and a few things they refuse to.Produced by Adam Taylor (The Sounds, Dresden Dolls). ----------------------------------------------------------------- PRESS: www.stylusmagazine.com "We only get eight minutes, but they're enough to convince us that Attractive do what they do very well, which is create strong power pop in the vein of Ted Leo. Composed of members of Snapcase and Six Going on Seven, the band have enough experience in the grind to not sound like newcomers, yet they sound fresh. Over well-produced guitar-driven rock, Josh English sings confrontational yet oblique lyrics like "Held in your teeth to swallow your sound / It's brave and wrong, your mother tongue" (from "Mother Tongues"). "The War Years" offers a more comprehensible snapshot: as a couple pulls apart in a diner, we get both their spoken words and their thoughts in a moving portrayal that slices a whole relationship in under three minutes before dying off among light strings." [Justin Cober-Lake] www.mundanesounds.com "One wouldn't expect members of the hardcore band Snapcase to start a band that was melodic new-wave power pop, but that's exactly what's happened. Attractive is a new group, formed by three members of Snapcase, plus Josh English, former lead singer of Six Going on Seven. What's even more impressive is how damn good this band actually is. The band is tight; English is an excellent singer, and although their choice of musical style might be played out, their ability to make it sound fresh and exciting again is what impresses the most. Though it's frustratingly short, you'll find yourself listening to it more than once, as the songs are all repeaters. I'm most satisfied by "The War Years," but the other two songs, "Irony Grows in Brooklyn" and "Mother Tongue" are equally satisfying. Attractive is a stunning surprise, and is simply a fun listen. This band could be big...." [Joseph Kyle] www.hanginghex.com "By listening to this cd you'd be hard pressed to imagine that members of Snapcase are in this band. But it's no far stretch of the imagination to notice a member of Six Going On Seven also making his presence known. Thus, the music of Attractive is much more akin to the chill and pretty melodies of SGO7 than the demolition rock of the ex-Buffalo heroes. But they manage to get a good start here with a sort of Interpol hip swagger, to go along with a drifting rocking melody, heavy on the use of delay-type guitars. The hardest moment here shows up in "Mother Tongues" (track 2) as a break in the song is punctuated with a crushing delay noise effect, and then back into chillness. Not a bad start. I'm sure you'll be hearing more from this band soon." [Ryan Canavan] www.adaptmagazine.com "There isn't much that can't be said about the at one time venerable hard-rock mainstay Snapcase. Seizing the world over several times, this band did everything but during their tenure as one of the most loved rock spectacles, selling well into the hundred thousands of records. Since breaking up band members have gone off and done their own things and in this time three of the Snapcase boys met Joshua English of Six Going On Seven fame. Summoning the ghosts of post-punk past, present and future, the four who initially seemed like an unlikely pairing are now known as the Attractive. Debuting three brand new tracks, this variety of unimaginable musicianship have created from everything they've learned and a few things they refuse to, a collective of alarmingly captivating tracks. Opening up their self-titled EP with "Irony Grows In Brooklyn" the Attractive boys quickly strike vehemence in the listener as their explosive indignation for bringing the post-punk sound to its feet is quickly highlighted amidst their sound. The band follow up with "Mother Tongues," a continuation of the respectively catchy sound in which the Attractive plague their new material with. With angular guitars and pompous bass-lines capacitating the previous two tracks, "The War Years" ends off the collective of new material fittingly. For being only a nearly nine minute grip of new material it will be surprising just how far the Attractive can take their sound on any following albums. The debut EP is a great representation of what this troupe of seasoned professionals have to offer and what we should see more of in the near future, it won't be long before the Attractive are more than a name." [Matt Hebert] www.transformonline.com " Jagged melodies and calmly cool hooks from unsung underground heroes. Featuring ex-Six Going On Seven frontman Josh English and three-fifths of defunct post-hardcore heroes Snapcase, Attractive might sound like a weird match on paper, but the group’s three-song debut shows immense potential for deceivingly simple indie pop that’s timelessly smart and infectious. Indeed, people who were turned off by Six Going On Seven’s saccharine-filled American’t (or Won’t) will rejoice at the jagged melodies and calmly cool hooks here. Though the instrumental interplay isn’t on par with the almost-flawless Heartbreak’s Got Backbeat, the Snapcase boys know how to fill space with just enough sparse guitar picking and four-on-the-floor beats to exude a modernistic “hipness.†The songs retain the members’ former outfits’ spirit of good songwriting, but they also contain a fresh sense of renewal. What could be better? I, for one, am looking forward to seeing Attractive in action… especially how Josh will handle his frontman position without his trusty bass in hand." [Tim Den] www.punknews.org An impressive pedigree can be a real detractor for a band that’s just starting out. Once it’s known that the singer, drummer, or any other member was in _____, immediately the expectations to write some great music are thrust upon the band, often undeservingly so. It’s not always the individual members, but the sum of their parts. In any event, Attractive have nothing to worry about. Boasting three members of Buffalo’s seminal hardcore export Snapcase, and a member of indie pop band Six Going on Seven, they already have a lot to live up to. Drawing far more from the latter of those influences, Attractive impress mightily on their three-song self-titled debut. Boasting lush pop tunes over a post-punk background, each song is well crafted to stand tall in a variety of areas. Joshua English’s soulful vocal delivery is an immediate draw into the music, and one that doesn’t even hint at fading anywhere through the path of these songs. While he does seem a bit reserved at times, his approach really cannot be faulted, as the capacity he’s used in is one that’s perfectly fitting over the bouncing rhythms. Lyrically, the band strays away from any tired clichés, and while nothing groundbreaking, I can say that I can’t find an immediate comparison to their style of storytelling. Matching the maturity in the storytelling is the overall songwriting craft. Subtle and somewhat understated, the guitar tones are rich, the bass full, and the drumming tight and succinct with everything else. The guitars are loud when they need to be, quiet when they need to be, and provide just the right rhythms to propel each song through its relatively short duration. “Mother Tongues†has a terrific back and forth feel to it, with the strongest bouts of musicianship that the band showcases, and it’s simply impressive how well these four gel as a unit. Attractive are a band that does live up to its pedigree, even while three of the four members couldn’t be playing a style farther away from their previous ventures. Definitely awaiting a full-length from this talented outfit. Check out the artist's website: http://www.attractive.cc Track List: 1. Irony Grows In Brooklyn 2. Mother Tongues 3. The War Years Suggested CDs:Other Genres: |