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H2NY (Halfway To New York) - Tremor (Review)

H2NY, Tremor

Review by Jack Foley

IndieLondon Rating: 3.5 out of 5

H2NY – aka Halfway To New York – proudly boast that they have delivered a debut album, in Tremor, that is comprised of 12 huge, surging, anthemic blasts of radio-friendly rock. To some extent, that’s true.

The LP is shot through with attention-grabbing rock tracks, as exemplified by opening track and former single Bleed, which explodes to life amid gutsy hooks and a rousing set of no-nonsense vocals from Sam Burkey.

But while some tracks have that full speed ahead quality alluded to (such as Little Bit of Everything and Over & Out), they’re by no means everything the band has to offer.

Indeed, there’s an argument to be made that they’re at their best when slow-building or taking more time to deliver the goods. Love Behind You, for instance, combines the moodiness of former acts like Longview or Snow Patrol with the alt-rock balladry of Third Eye Blind, while the acoustic led Slide By is another song that immediately endears by virtue of its heartfelt sentiment and subtlety. Indeed, the electric guitar hook that drifts in and out of that song is also reminiscent of Coldplay.

If anything, the band sound more generic and straight-forward the louder they get. And while they are capable of delivering some rousing foot-stompers, such as Every Inch a King, they’re definitely at their most striking when reining it in more.

Another favourite, the moody slow-burner that is Caught In The Middle, works because of a brooding drum beat and some ominous guitar riffs before it hits its big, expansive chorus, while More Yesterdays Than Tomorrows also benefits from that same style of slow-build. It’s epic in a good way and reminiscent of bands like Snow Patrol and even Bush.

But criticisms aside, Halfway To New York have offered more than enough on their debut LP to be worthy of your respect and admiration. They’re clearly an act to keep an eye on. Tremor is a striking debut.

Download picks: Love Behind You, Slide By, Every Inch A King, Caught In The Middle, More Yesterdays Than Tomorrows, Tremors

Track listing:

  1. Bleed
  2. On The Run
  3. Little Piece of Everything
  4. Love Behind You
  5. Slide By
  6. Every Inch A King
  7. Caught In The Middle
  8. Blue Eyes
  9. Over & Out
  10. More Yesterdays Than Tomorrows
  11. Tremor
  12. Counting Sheep