Producer Justin Gerrish (Vampire Weekend, Weezer, the Strokes) was given free rein creating the sound on Calgary garage rockers Port Juvee's Revenge EP. The intention may be to deliver loose, somewhat poppy songs ("Toe The Line" and "All That's Fine"), but rather than creating something unique in the process, the sound is notably derivative, of the Strokes in particular. The tracks on Revenge may be catchy, but sadly they seem to lack personality attributable to Port Juvee specifically.
The vocals are dominant, Casablancas-esque and delivered with a notable amount of bravado (verging on the territory of Matt Skiba, of Alkaline Trio, at times). The lyrics seem to strive for emotion, but are often vague, as on "Revenge" ("I would be yours if you could only change who you are"). There's no sense of what's been done from which there is "no turning back" on the slow dance "Rooks" — though the Weezer-esque solo on this track song is one of the better moments on the EP, along with those rougher ones where the rock cuts loose on "Just the Thing." Otherwise, the release feels restrained, lacking the desire to pull listeners in.
(Independent)The vocals are dominant, Casablancas-esque and delivered with a notable amount of bravado (verging on the territory of Matt Skiba, of Alkaline Trio, at times). The lyrics seem to strive for emotion, but are often vague, as on "Revenge" ("I would be yours if you could only change who you are"). There's no sense of what's been done from which there is "no turning back" on the slow dance "Rooks" — though the Weezer-esque solo on this track song is one of the better moments on the EP, along with those rougher ones where the rock cuts loose on "Just the Thing." Otherwise, the release feels restrained, lacking the desire to pull listeners in.