Charging riffs, skyscraping vocals, melodramatic arrangements – this is the sound of Carthage, a wildly enthusiastic pop punk outfit spearheaded by one Mr. Carthage Carroll.
Sounds good, right? Well, let’s look at the good things about The Lost And Found. The confident title track channels Jimmy Eat World’s more melodic moments, closer ‘Night Light’ ends the album in a pretty instrumental flourish, and if you can forgive the disturbing name, ‘Stillborn’ features a catchy refrain.
And then there are the other 38 minutes. ‘Sunset Rise’ is disconcertingly whiny, while ‘Lock Up Your Soul’ and ‘Hang ‘Em Higher’ are both based around dated cartoon guitar solos. ‘Angel Light’ sees Carroll’s voice in better form but the sweeping ballad typifies the kind of thing that just won’t cut it in the current massively innovative Irish climate.
There’s certainly an admirable boldness in this Carthage character, but his evident pluck and attitude is somewhat marred by frequently trembling vocals and melodies that just don’t quite take hold way they should. For all the showy arrangements and fancy guitar play then, The Lost And Found is doesn’t work. Carthage had better keep looking.
Key Track: ‘The Lost And Found’