Phantom Mime - 24seven

Hear The Track Here

Ears are wonderful things as well as convenient hooks for hats. They are also extremely delicate instruments that have to be protected somewhat from the rigours of life. Nowhere is this more true than the life of yer average would be rock star, ask Pete Townsend. Having put my own ears to the most shameful abuse in my own lifetime it amazes me that I can hear anything at all, but they seem to take a licking and keep on ticking. Most of the aural destruction I've subjected them to has been at the hands of rock bands like Phantom Mime, a surprisingly meaty newcomer to this reviewer.

You know I like a nice bit of aural abuse, rock style.

Surprised the hell out of me that after playing this track for a day or two and then sitting down to do the review, I discovered that the band are from the Phillipines. I'd pegged them for either a US or a UK band, so true is their dound and attention to the rock details. Admittedly, 24seven put me in mind of the many (nay fekkin endless) practice sessions that were miraculously saved to tape; there's the same hollowness of sound that occurs in that process. The snare and vocal in particular suffer because they are so forward in the mix. Still, it doesn't sound that much like a demo, other than that and the confidence and style the band deliver in far outweighs that. Unless you are a purist and don't listen to anything less than studio kwuality, otherwise known as an awkward bastard.

As Phantom Mime state in the song comments 'a classic rock sounding song, great for driving along and rocking out'; a fairly accurate statement given what I've just said. The energy and power the band throw out in the first few bars of 24seven is probably enough to light up Manila and well up to the standard they set when citing Lynyrd Skynyrd, Red Hot Chili Peppers et al as influences. If you like either of those two bands you will find that Phantom Mime and you have a lot in common. While I had been playing it, I kept flicking on that Lynyrd Skynyrd reference myself, long before I checked out the webpage. Classic American rock, all the way from the other side of the world.

Highly Recommended for classic rock fans.