Most of you who read this website/Tumblr blog (however you choose to read it) are probably disgustingly young and can’t relate, but in my more contemplative moments as a man in my mid (/late) twenties, I think about what life in my thirties will be like. Not your early thirties, because that’s pretty much an extension of your twenties, with perhaps a little less wanton destruction of your liver and some nicer holidays. I’m referring to when the really responsible house-buying, family-starting stuff begins – when I’ve got a mortgage and stuff, will I miss going to gigs? And by that point, will I reject all that noisy “young persons music” for the musical equivalent of a well-worn pair of slippers, such as Sheffield’s The TripDown Project?
This trio, consisting of “JoJo”, “Shrap” and, er, “Tim”, sound like they’ve woken up after a particularly heavy night out and decided the last twenty years were some horrible dream, strapped on their guitars and embarked upon a quest to revive the fiery grunge-y sound of their golden age. However, despite aiming to recreate the premier sounds of Nineties demigods like Nirvana and Foo Fighters, they wind up sounding somewhere in the second tier of “alt. rock”, akin to the Bushes, Silverchairs and Feeders of this world. “Born from the ashes” of Colorpool (presumably their previous outfit on the pub circuit), The TripDown Project’s debut release ‘Post Modern Delay’ is a complete throwback from one end to another, from Stone Temple Pilots-aping opener ‘My Condition’ to closer ‘Nothing But Envy’, which sounds exactly as you’d imagine three “older gentlemen” from Sheffield with access to some dodgy synths and Led Zeppelin’s discography to sound.
If you loved the 90’s as much as these guys clearly do, you’ve already reached boiling point and are already sold on these guys, which is clearly their target audience – any further ramming home of the point that they sound outdated would be unnecessary. For their chosen path, they do a competent job; ‘Hiding From The Path’ has a seriously catchy riff and shows the trio’s undoubted talent as musicians. ‘Drop Down’ also boasts some monstrous guitarring from the aforementioned Jojo, even if the line from the chorus sounds suspiciously like ‘Vegas Two Times’ by Stereophonics.
You tend to feel a bit sorry for chaps like the members of The TripDown Project – they probably believe it when certain corners of the media peddle twaddle like “Guitar music is dead!” – that’s not what the lads who came and saw you down the Red Lion last Friday said, eh lads?! They also, bless ’em, have a Bebo profile and, having formed in 2009, are the last known new members of Bebo – it seems kind of fitting for such an anachronistic band to be on such an anachronistic social network, like worrying your songs are going to be leaked onto KaZaa. For the chaps (and chappettes) who romanticise and fetishise the smell of stale booze, fags and sweat at gigs, this is perfect – these gents can rock out well, and their sound is certainly more becoming than the horrendous visions I’m having of their 2000s equivalent when my generation reaches a certain age – I mean, who wants to pay to see a fat bald bloke in his 40s do a paltry impression of Limp Bizkit? Oh, hang on…
3/5
‘Post Modern Delay’ by The TripDown Project is out now on Holier Than Thou Records.
The TripDown Project links: Facebook|Twitter|Website
Words by Ollie Connors (@olliexcore)
