Picturesque – Monstrous Things

Picturesque make their Equal Vision Records debut with Monstrous Things, a compilation of their self-titled debut EP from 2014 and three brand new songs. Led by the superb range of vocalist Kyle Hollis, it’s no surprise that Picturesque’s pop-oriented post-hardcore attracted the attention of a record label, but for all the talent and promise shown on “Monstrous Things”, the band still have a way to go to set the world on fire.

As the title track races through its standard song-structure, the vocals clearly emerge as the star attraction. With an obvious comparison to Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens, Hollis’ high-register vocals show a huge amount of talent as he hits some seriously impressive notes. As technically impressive as the singing is though, what’s being sung isn’t that interesting and once the initial impact wears off, you’re left with forgettable melodies and predictable choruses.

Hollis uses the top end of his range for much of the EP which proves his ability, but lessens the impact of this key weapon as the songs go on. Given that Hollis has such a great range, it would be good to hear him utilizing the lower end more often, leaving the high notes in reserve for maximum impact and emphasis. “Speak Softly” proves this point, where the final section is one of the EP’s stand-out moments as Hollis waits for the song’s climax to unleash a barrage of impressive notes that makes the journey through the song worthwhile.

Musically, Monstrous Things feels too safe to be noteworthy. “Speak Softly” and “Who You Are” stand-out with their more urgent guitar work and dynamic drums but elsewhere the level of energy shown on these tracks isn’t replicated. The band has talent and potential in abundance but this hasn’t been completely realised.

Having a distinctive vocalist is a great way to attract listeners, but there needs to be more musical substance to keep them engaged. This EP is a good way to get acquainted with Picturesque and as they’re certainly a band worth keeping an eye on. As they prepare for a full-length album it would be great to hear the musicians pushing themselves to stand out and for the vocals to develop more substance to match the impressive style.