South London's Company L do a grittier, gruffer and more rigid type of skatepunk that you might've heard more on Epitaph in the '90s. Akin to a more sneering and less shouty 98 Mute or Consumed, the band plow through a half-dozen tracks on their self-titled EP that often frustrate with their lack of exciting moments or melodic tendencies.

A noticeable void of dynamics in tone, texture or tempo might be what's sapping this release. The EP carries a darker, more discomforting tone altogether, and while that casts a fine, thematic shadow over everything, there's nothing to ever really break it. The EP's midsection lulls considerably, and when a more hardcore-oriented breakdown in "WWJD" comes along, it's just really sloppy and sluggish and thus completely ineffective. There's a diatribe on backlashing against "punk rules" or what have you in "Policing the Police" that just sounds a little tired.

It's quite a disappointment since you really don't hear this style played too often anymore. With the right hooks and energy it could be a hell of a thing but Company L are deficient in too many areas to make it work.

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Back to the Drawing Board
Flight FR5732