7 January 2011

Unearthed Review - The Sodapops **1/2

| johnboy
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The sodapops screenshot

There are nearly 700 Canberra bands with tracks on the TripleJunearthed website. In 2011 we’re going to explore them. (here’s the reviews so far)

Fourth off the rank, selected at random, is The Sodapops who describe themselves thusly:

We are The Sodapops!

We formed a little over a year ago so we could enter a band competition, we got such great feedback that we decided to make it a permanent thing, an awesome party band, we play music for people to go nuts to!

And with out even gigging for a complete year we’ve already played at the Multicultural Festival, the UC Refec/Cafe and we were the act before AstroChem at their EP launch. We guarantee an insane live show when you see us, so come see us, and come dance! And if you can’t see us then just, you know, listen to our tunes.

Supposedly pop/rock they sound more like jazz noodling with strong female vocals.

Tracks:

At Parties:

Sounding a lot like school of music students sharing band camp in jokes this song noodles along harmlessly.

It starts out as a sort of stream of consciousness on the experience of being at a party, and then develops into the late night remorse of a big party winding down as they have a major whinge about people not playing their songs at parties.

This may be a handy clue.

Holy Water:

In Holy Water vocalist Nichola Weatherly attempts to explore how many different ways the two words “Holy Water” can be sung.

The answer is more ways than is strictly speaking advisable.

Overall:

The Sodapops sounds like they’re having a great deal of fun playing together. But they don’t entirely let the audience in on the act.

If I was standing at the back of a pub they were playing at I’m sure they’d provide great background music to a pleasant evening.

They’re talented musicians, but really need the benefit of a stronger songwriter.

**1/2

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BitchFace said :

Anyone else think that bitchface is just having a laugh? Hahaha, think what you want about our tunes, we have fun, people who see us have fun, isn’t that what matters in the end?

It pays to be thick-skinned if you’re in the music industry (or any industry really).

Anyone else think that bitchface is just having a laugh? Hahaha, think what you want about our tunes, we have fun, people who see us have fun, isn’t that what matters in the end?

Anyone else thinking that bitchface might be from the sodapops and doesn’t like to hear someone else’s opinion !?

Perhaps the music wasn’t to Johnboy’s likings. (I haven’t listened to it) I mean a heavy metal fan is going to bag out pop music and vice versa.

A review of: The Sodapops TheRiotACT Review

Hmmmmmm, here we have a small hollow piece of writing coming from a relatively unknown writer named JohnBoy. Straight away he picks up on the genre choice of the band “The Sodapops” and notices that they don’t sound much like what they have selected, he then defines them as “Jazz Noodling”, perhaps suggesting that they are some form of improvised pasta, when clearly the category Jazz/Pop/Fusion/Funk/Experimental/Rock wasn’t available for selection.

JohnBoy then goes on to describe one of the pieces which has been uploaded to the site, (only to win a competition which they eventually lost (because they weren’t indie) and have now been deleted) “At Parties”. For some reason he decided to view the piece as another form of noodling when in actuality the composition of the piece is quite meticulous (although this is only a demo and not even the final version of the piece). He then goes on to describe the refrain as a “whinge” without seeing the subtle cute undertones of a partygoer who doesn’t get a chance to dance drunk to the songs that they want to hear, it has nothing to do with the music of the band itself.

On to the review of the piece “Holy Water”, now first of all there is no mention of the tightly constructed modal jazz sequences, fun filled rhythms and interesting transitions. Instead JohnBoy goes straight for the jugular and drains the chorus of its laid back, smooth, catchy charm. Has he never heard of a “hook” before? To quote the review: “In Holy Water vocalist Nichola Weatherly attempts to explore how many different ways the two words “Holy Water” can be sung.The answer is more ways than is strictly speaking advisable.” Now lettuce look at that second sentence, can anyone even tell me what he is trying to say? It sounds like he is trying to be clever but as a reader I can’t help but feel confused.

In the postscript JohnBoy declares that The Sodapops are hiding something from the audience, but anyone who has heard them can safely say that they don’t give a fuck and would instead much prefer to continue being funloving arrogant musical prodigies. The finishing line of the review includes the first and only positive comment about the band but then concludes with the harshest. A stronger songwriter? What does this poon want? Verse/Chorus/Verse, poppunk indie hardcore garbage? Expand yo’ mind fool, these ain’t songs they’re pieces of music!

Rating: 0.37/1 Billion.

Sincerely yours,
Bitchface

Glad you like them Steve, it’s just a review of their songs on the unearthed website and only my opinion of that.

You are so full of it. I have loved this band from the very start and if you even bothered to show up to a gig you’d see that everyone who watches them feel the same way. These guys have made people aged 10 to freakin 70 go nuts!

700 Canberra bands, and FA places to play!

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