One of Ryedale’s new crop of bands has taken its first trip to the studio and recorded three tracks. Hold That Thought are:

Guitar/vocals – Sam, legend of both rock and roll, and all round good guy.

Bass – Jaz, small, inoffensive, yet largely underestimated.

Drums – Dean (Lerchio), full of life, and a well rounded young man.

Vocal/keys – Will, there’s not really much to say.

So, how do Hold That Thought describe themselves?

“Hold That Thought is made up of four separate musicians who originally got together just to jam, but their jam sessions soon kicked off and a whole new band was born. You may know them as various other (ridiculous) names such as ‘Captain Snuggles and the Lemonade Shack’, but we have since changed it to Hold That Thought.

Hold That Thought have recently visited Calder Recordings to record their first EP, featuring the songs Freshly Squeezed, Calypso and Don’t Torque. After lots of energy drink, microwave pizza and plate-smashing, our CD will be available at upcoming gigs.”

I have checked out their tunes on the band’s myspace and here is a brief review of what to expect!

Track 1: Don’t Torque – This song starts with a very cool guitar riff, easing you into the song. Will has a unique voice which I am largely undecided about, but you can’t fault his ability to write catchy vocal hooks that are complemented well by the music. The standout part of this song is without doubt the chorus which really holds the whole song together. There is also quite a good breakdown, but the sing-along-ability of the chorus really steals the show. A good start and a nice energy to the music.

Track 2: Freshly Squeezed – This has a really pop-punk beginning to it, and carries on in a similar method. Will’s keys and vocals are really the focal point of the song, with a couple of cool riffs on the keys stealing the show. The vocals seem to be a little forced, and out of a comfortable range on this song, and the breakdown and solos in the middle are largely inappropriate, but HTT are a young band still learning, this is another solid start!

Track 3: Calypso Song – The opening to this song is genius! If you ever catch the ‘Learn To Fly’ video by the Foo Fighters, watch the beginning, where Tenacious D make a cameo in the cockpit. If you listen to the music it’s very similar! This song has a really upbeat flavour to it, and is really a summer song. I can imagine this being played at a barbecue or pool party in mid-August. Their music is simple yet affective, as are the vocals and I’d say this is the strongest of the three songs. There is another breakdown, but this time it fits in pretty nicely! Good work!

So, this is a solid start, there is clearly a lot of developing to happen, and room for improvement. However, Hold That Thought have found a sound, and have stuck with it! It’s happy, it has a refreshing energy, and I’m sure there is much more to come from these guys!

You can listen to all three tracks for free on www.myspace.com/holdthatthoughtmalton