It seems very important for Paul McCormick (the man behind the band and the alter ego Paul E. Phonics) to let us know that while he is from Toronto, he is now based in Germany. This makes me wonder: Why is that a crucial detail? He even goes so far as to be specific about the place where the album was recorded, “The Bunker” in Berlin. If the album was inspired by the environment of the European setting, that’s difficult to tell. Perhaps the heavily-industrial sounds might be a sign of the regional influence. McCormick lists Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin and Black Sabbath as influences, which seems appropriate. As soon as I heard his voice, I immediately thought of Ozzy Osbourne.
To appreciate this album, you would need a refined ear, one that will catch the subtle differences between each track. However, (for the average listener) the simple vocals, minimal musical style, and lack of variation from track to track make this album a bit tiresome. Much of the time, the tracks blended together. There are no high and lows – the music sits at a plateau. The dense use of instruments drowns out McCormick’s voice quite a bit. Whatever the creative reason for this may be, it comes across to me as a lack of confidence in the vocals.
“Toe the Line … Forever!” and “Obsessions” stand out as the most punchy of all the songs. With a more defined riff and louder, more diverse vocals, “Toe” it is indicative of a post-punk influence (quite Joy Division-esque) while the New-Wave elements and prominent lyrics of “Obsessions” is a refreshing departure from the rest. In “A Void” I was pleased to hear the introduction of a new instrument – the piano. Right away, the song holds a multi-dimensional quality that is lacking on the rest of the record.
Fine Print Pariah, like most other debuts, is a passable, but unsteady first try. There are more misses than hits here, but McCormick’s potential had its brief moments to shine – he just needs keep coaxing it out.
Track Listing:
1. Stealing from Graves
2. Found and Lost
3. Disillusioned
4. Name in Vain
5. Then
6. Toe the Line … Forever!
7. The Thorn
8. A Void
9. Obsessions
10. For Dear Life
