Europunk.net - Album Review: Union Jack - You Don't Really Know Who I Am

Union Jack - You Don't Really Know Who I Am

Reviewed on Oct 8, 2005 by Skadude

"What is that shit?" This is not the normal words that I am greeted with when I listen to a cd but Union Jack have decided to go against the norm. Originality is usually something that makes a band stand out, something that helps to set themselves apart from the group, this does not mean, however, that it makes them good. Unfortunately Union Jack have focused just a little too much on being different and not enough on the music itself. It was the lack of quality songs that made me also say "What is that shit?" when I first heard this EP.

There's some basis here for some music that could stun the socks off a camel but it's just too undeveloped to be any good. You can hear that Union Jack are actually quite skillful musicians, each instrument is played relatively well but the end product just falls short of the mark. The music is a strange composition made up of hardcore guitaring, ska basslines, horns that sound somewhere inbetween Less Than Jake and Capdown. As well as all this there is some very odd piano lines being played. Are they relaxing, making you think of Moon River? Are they masterful, along the lines of Mozart? They are neither. These harsh sounding riffs are most similar to those of the Transplants . Then there are the vocals. Why oh why would someone put a voice this terrible on a cd? This voice is neither melodic, catchy, nor hardcore, it's just plain horrid. I cringe everytime I have to listen to it.

As I mentioned before there is some basis here for good music but it's far too underdeveloped to attract any attention. Union Jack need to sit down together and discuss how they can make their songs sound better and more appealing. On the back of the EP there is something that says "Bad Ska Corporation". Be warned, this is indeed quite accurate and "bad" is a bit of an understatement.