EP Review: Edward In Venice – Empathy

On some levels, this is a terrific recording, full of splendour and energy from Pesaro, Italy’s Edward In Venice. It kicks off with a splendidly growling bass and a helter-skelter rush through The Deserter – a song full of edgy melody and driving rhythm and stuffed with intricate changes of pace, all topped off with a trademark impassioned vocal. As the EP progresses, however, it becomes a catalogue of musical fireworks that dazzles, yes, but doesn’t leave a lasting impression. The changes of tempo and time signature and sometimes awkward chord progressions make this a difficult listen. There can be no doubt that this is a band of superbly accomplished musicians, but their genius is compromised by what feels like a reluctance to leave anything out. As singer, Filo Greganti explains when describing the recording process; “There was no rush, which permitted us to perfect every single little thing in the music …” And therein lies the problem. A lot of the little things could easily have been left out without affecting this at all.

I don’t know what this music is. Hardcore Math-Emo? There are hints both of the Foo Fighters‘ rabble-rousing anthemic bluster and Radiohead‘s more wilfully pompous and awkward moments. And then sometimes it’s straight ahead melodic rock. Or jazz. But not for long. To say there is no unifying theme would also be misleading, as you could be forgiven, at times, for wondering if you’re listening to 7 versions of the same song. That’s not because they are generic songs. It is because each song is so stuffed full of musical invention that it loses its personality. There’s a reason why verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-solo-chorus-chorus is so successful, and this EP does nothing to suggest that that methodology is going to be changing any time soon.

Commendably inventive, beautifully recorded and produced but way too complex to be an immediate punch in the gut success. Maybe the guys just need a producer who will say ‘no, that’s too much’. The ingredients are all there, but the cake is a bit stodgy. 

The Empathy EP can be pre-ordered via Lockjaw Records here