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TAT
SoHo Lights
What can you say about the London-based band TAT? It's a weird sounding name for a band, but perhaps more appropriate if you know it means "rubbish or trash." The press release spoke of their incredible live shows and "their rock-n-roll lifestyle of excess, trash, and complete disregard for authority." Rock clichés aside, their debut album SoHo Lights highlights lead singer/guitarist Tatiana DeMaria's snarling vocals and the intensity of their songs, but is at times too polished and lacking a wow factor.
The album starts off strong, with the fast-paced "Road to Paradise and the catchy "Sympathetic Lies." DeMaria's gritty voice stands out and is fitting for the band's punk sound. They capture their frantic energy in the slamming "Diamond Child" and the driving "Pessimist." Meanwhile, "Sandra D" stands out with its softer, beautiful intro.
Less successful are songs such as the misguided "Stay Up" and the boring "Live For Rock." In the former, the song doesn't fit DeMaria's vocal style and she sounds like she's whining. Despite the impressive drumming at the start of the latter, the lyrics are filled with rock clichés: "Live for rock-n-roll/And I'll die before I sell my soul/ Freedom of expression in a world with no repression."
Overall, the positives outweigh the negatives on this album. Their name may mean trash, but the term certainly doesn't apply to their music.
—Jessica Simons
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