From beginning to end We Were Promised Jetpacks’ 2nd LP puts the pedal to the metal and doesn’t relent. Big, loud guitar swells and spastic percussion drive the energy level of In the Pit of the Stomach through the roof. Adam Thompson’s vocals add a nicely to the bedlam, sounding very much like Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit and James Graham of the Twilight Sad. Come to think of it WWPJ shares quite a bit in common with those two bands, they’re Scottish, they sing about love and longing, they know how to write a catchy tune, and they’ve even toured together.
While WWPJ pays homage to their forbears and countrymen, they also play with a sharper edge than those bands. Frightened Rabbit certainly hasn’t written a riff as powerful as the one on "Hard to Remember".
"Circles and Squares" kicks things off with a bang, and the determination of the guitars, drums and vocals is palpable. Over the crashing melody Thompson can be heard to lament “And life in a coma could be quite fun, and I could play architect and nobody’s son”. The balanced attack of "Act on Impulse" is another highlight, featuring a lush string arrangement floating nicely in the background, something not heard before from these Edinburgers.
For all the moments where the band hits their stride there are a greater number of stumbling blocks. The volume of In the Pit of the Stomach has been turned way up, and more often than not the ragged outbursts of guitar will blur together into a monotone. The off kilter shredding of "Through the Dirt and the Gravel", "Human Error" and "Boy in the Backseat" just seem overwrought and pervade a sense of ADHD.
Unchecked passion isn’t necessarily a fault, and these guys can likely attribute it to their youth, both in terms of how old they are and how long they’ve been playing together. They’ve proven they can bring the noise, but moving forward they must show that they’re better able to harness the incredible energy they have, using power responsibly rather than just using it for the hell of it. In the future if they’re able to show some restraint and a greater level of focus they may get those jetpacks yet.
Grade: C+
We Were Promised Jetpacks -- Act On Impulse by jabermohamed
~ Steve Dobek
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