four day Hombre - demo

After six years trawling around the UK gig circuit, Four Day Hombre have given up on trying to find a record deal and are now showing their faith by ploughing their own money into releases. Early indications show that the band were right all along with their new single getting airplay on Radio 1. This demo is one of the many that the A&R men overlooked – although it’s baffling why they did.

With so much experience under their belts its fair to say Four Day Hombre have really mastered their craft – this demo is brilliantly understated when it could so easily have been too overblown. Opener Christina’s Song is driven by a lovely bass line and double-tracked vocals before the almost silent interlude takes over. As the track rebuilds all indications point to a stadium rock ending but the band knowingly withdraw as the track brilliantly falls over the finish line with all the grace of a pissed-up builder.

Acoustic number Crying Shame again utilises double-tracked vocals but perhaps not to the greatest effect – the track now sounds a little like the token slow-burner of a heavy rock band when a solitary, heartfelt vocal would have driven home the ‘with you its an addiction’ lyrics with much more effect. But this is the only criticism of a sweet song that still manages to draw the listener in when it could easily have missed the target.

Nod-along closer Tenth White Lie is the best track here. Combining a fantastic repeating guitar line with synthy keyboards and a brilliant chorus, the song is made for live performances and is so joyful that one can only imagine the mass grinning this must cause.

Its difficult to see the reason for the lack of the A&R interest.

The 'Demo' by fdH is one that only has three songs on it, but those three are a small sum of what fdH are about - great music and catchy songs. Out of all the songs included on the Demo the song that I'm not so sure about is the chorus to 'crying shame' but I still like the song all apart from the chorus, as I don't think it fits it. This little part of the Demo is the only thing I can really say was 'bad' as I really like the CD and I have come to like fdH in general. Four day Hombre seems to have a following already as I saw a person wearing a T-shirt of theirs the other week! The sounds of this Demo and fdH are that for summer listening as they have a chilled out, catchy relaxed sound to them, which lots of people will take pleasure in.