2:54’s self-titled debut in 2012 was an assured slice of alt-rock that suffered slightly from a lack of variety from song to song. It was as if they wrote songs to a precise template: equal parts ghostly vocals, ominous atmospherics and a creeping sense of serious dread.
Two years have passed and 2:54’s Thurlow sisters (Colette and Hannah) are still plagued by the same problem, stuck on the same template.
The Other Iis another collection of perfectly acceptable songs without anything approaching a departure from their trademark style, let alone a standout single. After listening to the album, the overwhelming sense is one of uniformity. And this uniformity extends across both of 2:54’s efforts; tracks from one album could be dropped into the other without anyone noticing.
To be fair, the songs themselves are all good in their own right, with lead single ‘Orion’ and closer ‘Raptor’ going as close to highlights as the album gets. Colette’s vocals are impressive and a perfect match for their particular brand of murky, ethereal rock. It would just be nice to hear them shake things up a bit.
It’s still a decent album, but one on which every song sounds exactly like the one that came before. A little variety would go a long, long way.
2.5/5.
The Other Iis out now through Bella Union /[PIAS]
