BSM - Falling Apart EP

Hear The Track Here

'Dear Mr Gilmore', the letter said, 'what is the world coming to? I notice from this month's review list that even the British School of Motoring is getting into the internet music act, are you really going to review their EP? Next thing you know, it will be a tuneful little ditty from a group of that blood-sucking scum we know as lawyers!!. Yours rashly, Cedric Fredrick'. Well, Ced, let me instantly put your mind at rest because BSM in this case stands for Brandon, Strickland & Mesropian which, although sounding like a bunch of bloodsucking etc's is none other than a new guise in which to find one John Brandon whose name you will know only too well. What? Silvertrain!! Helloooooo. Not that Silvertrain have gone to the breakers yard mind, but John did assure me that this was a completely different set of lawyers...er... I mean music and musicians. There again, he also assured me I'd have the EP in time for review and he only just got it in under the wire so things haven't changed that much.

So, and for the record, BSM are John Brandon from the UK and Brad Strickland and Steven 'Mez' Mesropian from the US and their Soundclick page holds all four of these tracks for you to listen to, while I have a shiny, spinning thing (Ed: CD to the rest of us) so lets listen together. You may remember in my last Silvertrain review - Under Pressure (March 2010), I banged on about the changed style and my reservations about it. John assured me that Mez's voice (he was the vocalist on that track) fitted BSM much better and judging by A Different Song it surely is. First off, I was stunned by the production, clear, clean and sharp as a tack which helps, I think, the substantiate the band's comment that it is ' it's a great introduction to the sound of BSM'. It is that, and more. It's style is hammered home with When You Sell Yourself For Something New (track two) and at this stage I was already sold.

From my side, I can't help but bring up all the old baggage between John and I, and I have to admit that I think we have a much tougher, more in-your-face version of the 'train. Rock (rather than pop) is the source this time though, even though each and every track on this excellent EP (and it really is an EP, four tracks innit??) is actually pop by nature. I put this down to the blend between an artist I know only too well, and two musicians I am just getting to know. I am bound to recognise John's influence but its surprising how much the other lean towards John's favourite musical stomping ground. Falling Apart (track three) is where the real rock credentials come into play, an absolute firecracker pop rock song that itches so many familiar memories, but Lost and Found (track four) really seals the deal. The vocals that power the other tracks, becomes mellow and pretty, oozing into your ears like aural honey and if I wasn't convinced by now that Mez has a killer voice, this would be the track that would do it. Damn, this is a killer selection of tunes right enough, and it's sure to guarantee BSM a front row seat in feature reviews.

MUST HAVE EP. Seriously awesome.