Tenative plans for 2001 inlcude more shows and in early spring a jaunt into the studio to record 6 new songs. Until then, here's a review of the "Driver" 7 inch EP.

Reviewed by Andy Malcom

Well, this one snuck out without too much fanfare...The less feted of the "ex-Chopper" bands get their 7 inch out before adored Pylon see their first CD finished. But never mind all that nonsense, is the record any good?

Yup. Here you have a band mixing up the UK melodic hardocre sound of bands like Broccoli (just check the cool vocals!) with the bouncy and repetitive guitars of Promise Ring circa "Nothing feels Good." Opening song "Driver" is dead catchy and makes you tap your toes up and down as the guitars buzz away. Lovely stuff. Following that is more of the same on "When Capris Ruled the World" (?!), hideously catchy and delightfully packed with a good deal of bounce and some fine edgey guitars. B-side "Winterburn" (nice emo-ey name, probably not a tribute to the Moe the Bartender-esque Arsenal defender) ties up the loose ends with another gem. Nice use of dual vocals here. I guess if you follow the lineage back, you can trace the style they've gotgoing on to the Evergreen "Trudy Pushpin" 7 inch (the finest emo-pop-punk record I've ever heard), that's the kind of sound Torino 74 have going, except a little less on the emo side. Tops.