Manic--Floor Boards

These major-label EP releases from up-until-now unknown acts always intrigue me. How good do you have to be to nab a place on a big label, before you even have recorded music out? I would say damn good, which most always sets my ears up for a disappointment. I’m very unfair in this way, and quite prejudice. Would I expect this much out of a self-released, or indie label band? No, but because they’re not entering my CD player with the preconceived notion of better-than-you rockness. Well, Manic is a good case of this as any. Their five-song EP Floor Boards, released on Suretone Records (a part of Interscope) starts off impressively and strong. “Chemicals for Criminals” is a catchy alternative track, with mildly emo themes of shaking off a hang-over planted over razor-edged guitar instrumentals. From there though, it’s mainly downhill. “Café Barcelona” is a uninteresting alt-rock track, and “Leaving Araby” – while it may be the second best track on the release and blisteringly emotional – still produced a yawn. “In A Room On Fire” hardly sounds like there’s a fire raging somewhere, and “Mr Evans” sounds too much like a Thom Yorke track. In fact, most of Floor Boards could be labeled as a Radiohead rip-off…but not in any seriousness. Radiohead sounds much better. Granted, this is Manic’s first EP and debut release, so it is to be expected that they are still finding their feet musically—my only question is why they deserve to be nestled in Interscope Records’ bosom.

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)