A.K.M are a band that have sucked so many influences into the complete package that listening to them is a bit like thumbing your way through a box of favourite records and not knowing which one to play, its Debbie Harry having a wrestle with Patti Smith on vocals, the Edge trying to kick the door in for a go on lead guitar but thwarted by the combined raucous twanging of various late 80s grunge bands. Not to mention the re incarnation of the Who’s backline !
On this 3 song package, it’s the classic song writing that wins out though, and although live this band are a swirling firecracker , they have smoothed it out to a radio friendly sound that still hints at the fight about to happen.
‘on your way’ without a doubt has echoes of U2 in the pattern of the chorus, but has a nod to R.E.M s early stuff there as well, with a filmic start building to a chanted climax.
‘So wrong’ drips with the suggestion of forbidden things with a great start and chop start chorus making the most of the sparse but raging sound only a good three piece combo can get, and screaming crescendos show the sometimes unused potential of the 3 min rock song .
‘volatile’ again shows the way this superb band can cherry pick from influences and make them their own, this time you get to see what the Foo Fighters would sound like if they had kept writing good songs and went for a female lead, and I am sure dave grohl would be chuffed with that comparison.
Somewhere between this 3 track and the live show is what I would like to see recorded, but this is a superb intro to a band you must see.
And why are they on this northern based site?? because they are yet another fine Ashington band, the bass player Rob is ex of the mighty ‘CRANE’, singer/guitarist Angie is formerly of pop trio ‘Red Letter Suits’ and drummer Sarah  is ex of   The Ladies Mercury and Frogma, all these  fine bands have given these lot a sound grounding in ‘how to make a band work’….listen, and you can decide.

. this ep can be downloaded for pennies from this link http://www.nowhearthismusic.co.uk/shop.html

By Tony on January 13, 2010