Some Sort of Threat

Not The End of the World [7-inch] (2013)

Rich Cocksedge

Over the last five years or so, the explosion of acoustic music in the punk scene has been like a volcano which has lain dormant for years and then suddenly opens its bowels to spew out a continuous flow of hot lava, making avoiding it an impossible task. Some Sort of Threat, aka Rory Matthews, has been delivering his own acoustic music for a few years now and with this release, he increases the lava flow, but fortunately it's obvious that this slight (physically that is given he weighs in at "nine stone soaking wet") man can more than hold his own with some of the established acts on the circuit.

With only a guitar, a voice and a handful of lyrics (and the occasional violin), Some Sort of Threat leaps over many of those plying their trade in the same arena with an immensely enjoyable debut that is both energetic and relaxed in equal measure. It's quite ironic that as I write this review, the opening track is "Henman's Year" given that it is one day on from Andy Murray becoming the first UK tennis player to win the Wimbledon Men's Championship in 76 years (something Tim Henman never managed); the song has a really beautiful sound to it, with Matthews' easy on the ear voice offering up some interesting, thoughtful and, importantly, entertaining lyrics which is a formula that follows on in all the other songs on the single.

None of the five tracks are overly long, with all of them being in the same ballpark duration wise: nothing less than a minute and a half and nothing touching the two minute mark. Perhaps that is what keeps this release sounding fresh and unlabored, the fact that the brevity of the tracks allows them to engage the listener without overstaying their welcome.

Just to top it all off, this release features some of the best artwork I've seen for a while.