Six Time Champion – Expecting Honesty

Sometimes bands can play all the right notes but never really give you a good reason to tune in.  Such is the case with Brighton, UK pop-punks Six Time Champion.  They overtly identify their influences as New Found Glory, Such Gold, Set Your Goals and The Story So Far, landing close to the commonality of all of the above.  But what they achieve in emulation fails to acknowledge that each of those aforementioned bands have something that can’t be imitated: personality.  

Six Time Champion’s five-song EP, Expecting Honesty, might sound initially energetic, but ultimately ends up feeling lifeless.  The power-pop leanings of opener “Running Dry” offers an upbeat combination of layered vocals and malleable guitars.  James’ lead vocals appropriately land within the realm of nasally, drawn out pop-rock icons like You Me At Six but with a vaguely hardcore edge (think Four Year Strong).  Despite a competent chorus and some technically sound guitar work, the track just never takes off; as does the majority of the EP.  Every song plays it safe, avoiding risks, and outstaying its welcome by clocking somewhere within the four minute mark.  Even the briskly paced “Happiness Is Emptiness” soils its chance to stand out by revisiting and looping a less than memorable chorus for the final minute and a half.  

The opening lines on songs like “Expecting Honesty” place Six Time Champion’s heart in the right place, but their insistence on pursuing some sort of vaguely anthemic high that never hits its mark gets exhausting.  Those “Like Dragging My Feet” and “Separation” always feel as if they’re building towards some sort of elusive payoff.  Perhaps it’s James’ refusal to ever take a breath, or the rest of the band’s unrelenting instrumental zeal, but Expecting Honesty lacks a sense of progression.

Expecting Honesty is akin to one big repetative twenty minute track.  Without any sense of pacing or diversity aside from full speed ahead and a void of any remotely engaging lyrics, Six Time Champion tables very little originality.  Expecting Honesty feels like the opening set for the UK leg of a New Found Glory tour that you wouldn’t mind arriving half way through – you wouldn’t miss much, and would probably walk away with the same “ho-hum” impression as if you were on time.