QUIZBOY - Not Like The Others You Know - EP REVIEW

QUIZBOY

Not Like The Others You Know

Portland, OR, United States

Credit - Quizboy

Portland-based rocker 'Quizboy' has returned to release music after almost a whole year away! Teasing at an album on the horizon, Quizboy returns with a freshly squeezed EP that will quench your thirst just enough to leave you awaiting more!

The title of his latest EP is 'Not Like The Others You Know', a three-track project that comes in with high-intensity garage rock, 90s rock and Grunge from the offset.

The A side of this project marks the title track. "Not Like The Others You Know" is a song that addresses the theme of making a stand against abusive and narcissistic behaviours.

This track is an interesting one indeed. A choppy key synth stirs your emotions through its cacophonous staccato. When combined with the gritty lead vocal the song becomes extremely soul-stirring. The backing vocals work wonders on the twists and turns that are provided by the instrumentation. A slow and distant drum keeps the heartbeat of the song going before coming to an abrupt end! I absolutely love this song and if you're like me and love those haunting alternative productions then you will love this one!

Now let's flip over to the B side, "Brave a Storm" takes form in a completely different structure - heavy grunge throughout. This is a fitting sound for the lyrical content that lays at the forefront of the production. 'Brave a Storm' is a song that is about suicide. Not only has the writer taken a difficult and painful concept to address but he has also done it in a way that is relatable on both sides of the coin - The words can be taken and interpreted by someone who is/has been suicidal as well as those who love and care about them. What a way to unite pain.

The way that the instrumentation has been used in 'Brave a Storm' is completely different to what has been used in the A side of this project. It's actually like listening to two different bands! Nivana meets Bullet For My Valentine in this production. The guitar rides on a mix of heavy metal and grunge, not to mention the dreamy nature of the solos. The vocals are a mix of grittyness and screamo.

This is a really bloody good track! I had never heard such dreamy guitar played as a backdrop to screamo until I found 'Quizboy'. Damn. - TAMARA JENNA

Now, there is one more track to go! This project was initially eeleased as a 3 track EP on Bandcamp containing a cover song of the Decemberists' 'Down By The Water'. So, here we are and here it is! The song has been released on streaming platforms as a separate single but is integral to the EP.

'Down By The Water' is a grungy and distortion filled entity. The song is another completely banging interpretation of an already released track that moves away from the folk rock nature of the original. I love the vocals - they sit somewhere between carefree expression and angst with hard hitting screamo thrown in for good measure.

Overall, the 3 tracks offer a distinct sound, a variation and a reflection of just how versatile Quizboy really is within the realm of rock!