I can’t remember at all what this sounds like. I also can’t remember reviewing the album. It’s kind of odd as there are a bunch where I’ve seen the review I’ve written and gone “Oh, I remember covering that”, but this one just draws a blank.
Thinking about this review makes me think about when I was living in Glebe, however. I was able to sit in the living room and write away as I had it all to myself. The others I was living with at the time would rarely, if ever make use of it.
That said, I’m rather glad to no longer be in that suburb. If I went back to Glebe I’d rather with different people and less rent. It was convenient and I had a good few years there, but I don’t need to go back. It’s in my past and I’d rather keep it there.
Besides which, I still have a lot of time to myself, but I digress.
This is the third thing I covered for Cool Try. Based on having a quick read, I think I was pushing out already with this one, but like many of the others of that time the quality is highly variable.
There are some okay lines, but once more I feel a lot of this is underdeveloped.
I’ve fixed some spelling, spacing and grammar, but otherwise this is as it was.
Along with most of my review and interview work, this review is also on Culture Eater.
My colleague and I set up a Patreon to further develop Culture Eater as a source of good quality arts coverage from both ourselves and our contributors.
We’re looking at what we can give to supporters as we don’t want to set up a one way relationship, so suggestions are welcome. Podcast Eater is one of the things we’ve got going. We’ve recently switch to weekly releases and soon will be giving the patrons a bit more.
Please consider supporting, or at least sharing the Patreon page with others. Please also check out what our wonderful contributors are contributing.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
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Born Lion formed around 2012 and seem to have gone from strength to strength since.
Now that they’re releasing their debut, they’re continuing their rise.
Kicking off with the fun opener of “Break the Curse”, Final Words reveals itself to be an album less concerned with stuffing around and more getting straight to what Born Lion sound like they want to do: make groovy, danceable songs with catchy hooks that will lend themselves well to the live circuit. This leads to much of the album being straightforward affair, dabbling in punk and rock without many surprises to catch listeners by surprise.
Many of the tracks sit comfortably with each other, whether it be the frenetic “Sucker For Punishment” complimenting the funk and punk-sounding “Suzie”, or the noisy “Too Cool To Party” leading into the quiet starting and loud ending “Weight Of The World”.
However, track six (“Violent Soul”) is a sharp contrast to the rest of the album.
It consists mostly of tensely strummed acoustic guitar underlining passionately sung vocals that seem to be about condemning those who go out and beat the crap out of people, with a beat designed to be clapped along to driving the song along.
It works for the most part, but it feels somewhat underdeveloped.
Perhaps if the vocals were softer it would work much better, but it doesn’t feel as though it fits well with the rest of the album.
However, it leads to “Rest In Pieces”, a major standout track.
On this track Born Lion throw in some more technical riffing that adds a great sense of menace to the song. Much of the beat sounds off-kilter and the band sound a bit more unhinged compared to the rest of the album, but it successfully keep the groove and danceability that permeates the rest of the album.
As far as as a debut goes, Final Words is decent enough.
Born Lion are a band that know what they want to do but sound as though they’re not quite there and as such, some of the material is a bit weaker than the rest.
However, as their voice can be heard throughout the songs, this strengthens the album a fair bit and points to positive things.
If anything, “Born Lion” is an indicator that, whilst the band are good, they’re going to get better.
Stupidity Hole 