​222 - ​222

222

​222
self-released; 2015

3.5 out of 5

By Mike Przygoda

The self-titled 222 EP by 222 is an amazing collection of punk, prog, funk and rock all very well executed with lots of power.

“Bronzer” opens the album with a rapid pace. Explosive punk drums drive the song under bluesy guitars and vocals making for an excellent groove. The occasional syncopated lines that interject add some nice contrast and make more some welcome surprises. “Mi Casa Es Tuya” is based around some funky bass slaps and pops that fly in under angular blues guitars. The vocals are a bit indiscernible, but executed in a fast Michael Stipe way that keeps the energy up. The breakdown and build toward the middle finds a great way to start the energy over again.

“Tie Me Down” combines some funky guitar comping from the school of the Chili Peppers along with some AC/DC rock. The reverb on the drums works very well against the string sound of the bass that is placed upfront. There is some nimble guitar playing near the end that is joined in by tambourines, claves and the bass before the drums enter and the dance-rock really takes over.

“Basecamp” is a slow burn built around palm-muted guitar and four-on-the-floor drums that eventually explode to a great tom pattern with some excellent snare flourishes. The chorus is very catchy, erupting into screams while the bass finds subtle melodic patterns.

“The Mill” contains a telegraphic guitar line tapping out Franz Ferdinand-ish riffs while the bass and drums find their own space to support the groove. In the chorus things really come together and groove. Later in the song there are some spotlights for the bass and drums with some explosive fills and double stops.

“Babychild” has some later Talking Heads influences in the guitar and bass work. There is some nice falsetto vocal work throughout, floating over some unison guitar and bass riffs. The bass really shines throughout the whole song with some fantastic melodic features and some syncopated hits with the drums near the end before there is some star time for the drummer playing some great double kick fills. “Westboro” has a Jack White melody and vocal inflection over a great syncopated bass and guitar riff. The lyrics are clever and build well throughout the song.

The EP closes with “Alpha Bet” driven by an incredible drum pattern and some Cream-on-speed guitar and bass riffs. The riff and melody are very catchy and the feel changes in the middle of the song is an excellent development (though a little awkward getting back into the initial groove).  
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Overall, the energy is electric and the band really shows off a lot of talent in their performances.

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