Pulley: Esteem Driven Engine
When punk music is good, it is very, very good - witness Bad Religion, The Offspring and Descendents. When it is bad, it is very, very bad - witness Green Day and Rancid. (Not surprisingly, you'll notice that those last names are two of the most famous punk bands.)
Esteem Driven Engine, the debut album from Pulley, while not quite in the latter category, sways further to that end of the spectrum. Despite some brilliant moments, like the unpredictable "Wok Inn" and the clever "Eyes Open Wide", there's just not enough material here that makes you sit up and say "Yeah...that!" By halfway through the disc, the whole thing has melted into one droning sound with an occasional high point here and there.
It occurs to me, after listening to this album, that 35 minutes shouldn't seem like such a long time. But I'm afraid it does, for Esteem Driven Engine finds a pattern and quickly falls into it, leaving invention for another band, another day.
Added: January 1st 2004
Reviewer: SoT Archives