The Pants Collective is the product of The Living End drummer Andy Strachan. His first foray into band leading is an accessible listen, but it rarely seems interested in pushing the envelope. The Pants Collective EP hews closely to the attitude and aesthetic scope of The Living End, but it doesn’t necessarily sound like the output of Strachan’s day job.
The seven-track release begins with the cartoon-like garage blues of Secrets, before getting more debauched (and less effective) on chunky rocker It’s Gonna Be Fine. It gets more interesting when Strachan shifts into gears he’s less familiar with. You’ll Never Know comfortably dons a hazy ‘90s pop/rock visage, while two-faced EP closer Hometown evolves from a neo-reggae experiment into a pub-rock anthem.
Strachan’s voice is by no means laughable, but it’s not a striking feature. Accordingly, he hasn’t pushed himself lyrically and effectively nothing of lingering curiosity is said during the set’s 24-minute run time.
Nevertheless, Strachan does show promise as a songwriter. These songs would surely benefit from someone with a pronounced on-record character revving them up. And, even if The Pants Collective’s debut doesn’t quite urge the finger back to the play button, it remains pleasant enough on repeated listens.
Similar to how films that don’t require particular patience or attention to detail are the most suitable for inflight viewing; this is easy to digest, but it mightn’t have you raving to your friends at journey’s end.
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
Best Track: You’ll Never Know
If You Like These, You’ll Love This: ALBERT HAMMOND JR, GRAHAM COXON, TURNSTYLE
In A Word: Competent
