ALBUM REVIEW: Soft Action – Other Half

After the success of their first album Big Twenty, Norwich based post-hardcore band OTHER HALF are back with their new album Soft Action, and some changes. Now signed to Big Scary Monsters, and introducing bassist Sophie, likely bringing a female perspective to their sound, OTHER HALF try to balance sticking to their roots and adjusting to these changes.

Opening with Like A Dog, a quick 40-second-long song, the tone of the album is set. Aggressive, intense and moody, there is absolutely no hiding what this band sound like. Feeling like a punch in the face, it’s the perfect opener because it immediately sparks interest. Next is Jollies With The Boys, and while it sounds more melodic, the guitars and drums are disjointed, giving it a distinctly DIY punk feeling. The main vocals are harsh and the lyrics cut deep, but the backing vocals sound bored and sullen, balancing each other out. The lyrics in the chorus are simple but memorable, which is the case for many of the songs. The two vocalists actually play a really important role in a lot of these tracks, and in In My Wires especially. While singer Cal’s voice is clear and at the forefront, Sophie’s backing vocals introduce an almost haunting sound, giving it a whole new level of depth alongside the darker lyrics.

Another thing OTHER HALF do really well is screechy, dissonant sounding guitars, which doesn’t sound like it would work, but surprisingly does. In All Bets Are Off, the guitars create sounds of anguish, which is reflective of the lyrics and Cal’s vocals. While it can be painful to listen to, that seems to be the point, and these unique guitars are key. Creating a very different sounding song, the album is broken up slightly. Guitars are also an important element in Who’s Got Guts; alongside the drums, they create a monotonous background to elevate the vocals and push the focus to the lyrics while bringing in an underlying feeling of dread and tension.

While the album does start to drop off in the middle, with the songs starting to sound a bit repetitive, changing the pace is Doom Logo. With quiet, gentle guitars reflecting the almost spoken word sound of the vocals, this song is certainly different from the others. It’s clearly an emotional track, and that’s portrayed through the pleading that comes through in Cal’s voice. It’s extremely short, which is honestly a shame. Closing Soft Action is If You Write The Way You Talk, with Sophie leading the vocals. It’s a complete change in pace, with clever lyrics telling a story to round off the album really well.

There’s no denying OTHER HALF have made an emotional, unique album, even if it takes a while to get completely into it. Starting off and ending strong, the songs start to sound a little bit the same around the middle, but as a whole Soft Action is enjoyable, with some tracks really leaving an impact.

Rating: 7/10

Soft Action is out now via Big Scary Monsters.

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