I’ve recently been on a bit of an alternative rock kick, so I was particularly entranced when I heard Quizboy’s short EP, Not Like The Others You Know. Quizboy is the musical pseudonym of musician Ben Dayho – he’s been in a few bands over the years, but it’s still really impressive that one man has managed to create such a full sound here!

By Jane Howkins

There are just three songs on the EP, leaving you longing for more after it’s ended! First track Brave A Storm sounds really grungy – the guitars have that classic down-tuned quality to them, yet it never sounds post-grungy. Instead, there’s something very genuine about the track – the raw guitars and emotive vocals are really spectacular when mixed together, as you can really feel the painful emotion in Ben’s vocals. The occasional screaming moments are a nice touch too!

Title track Not Like The Others You Know starts a little differently, instead featuring a slightly off-kilter piano melody as the main instrumentation. A slow drum beat follows the piano, with Ben’s vocal lines also following a similar melody in the background. Interestingly, the piano seems to be more dominant than the vocals themselves, adding more to the haunting vibes of the tune.

Down By The Water is the closing song, going back to the sound of the opening track. It’s actually a cover of a song by the Decemberists – the grungy style works really well, changing the track from the original version quite a lot! Raw, down-tuned guitars are the name of the game here, as Ben sings along in a lovely way. The vocals go a little higher on the chorus (in between the screaming), showing quite a nice vocal range overall.

The production quality on Not Like The Others You Know is a little raw, but it suits the atmosphere Ben is trying to cultivate with Quizboy. It’s an EP that shows some real promise for the future!

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