After offering a glimpse into the new and revived line-up with the recent The Callback EP, Knockout Kid set out to capitalise with their official debut full-length, It Comes With The Job Description.
Old fan-favourite and opener Hoop Dreams starts the record off with the infectious refrains of "thank you for the inspiration, curtains close and onto the next one...", injecting the record from the get of with a promise of triumph. …Is A Dead Man another old favourite also sees a bold return. The first two tracks are only a fraction of the number of re-recorded renditions of old songs within Knockout Kid’s catalogue that vocalist Wade Hunt breathes new life into.
Catalina is the first of several new songs on It Comes With The Job Description. The track also sees the band stray into an overt hardcore-orientated sound. Drunken Nights and Mall Fights is a bright track on the record and envelopes some of the softer moments on A Day To Remember’s Homesick. The chorus of "we’ve got nothing to our names but broken records and they're still spinning, we’ve got nothing to our names but we’re still singing...".
Things I Wanna Say is a guaranteed favourite and will undoubtedly stand out as one of the most striking songs on the record. Things I Wanna Say is a change of a darker tone and implements sentiments of the yearning for direction and security in the face of chaos. The record progresses with How The Midwest Was Won and Not 5-0, which provide listeners with a chance to breathe. Although slow tracks they sit perfectly in the centre of the record and become a fragment of the journey on It Comes With The Job Description.
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is the classic call to arms for anyone who has ever felt unjust treatment from someone they have loved or have been linked to in an emotional way. Vocalist Wade Hunt towers over on a pedestal of conviction as he says "so pick yourself up on the drive home, I’m never looking back...".
One For The Team, Two For The Dream unfortunately, apart from the memorable, riff hinders the record from progressive cohesiveness and becomes tedious. However, this is contrasted immediately with the latter portion of the record. Make Your Peace is enchanting during the middle eighth as it fades with an elegant charm that sweeps listeners over.
On the first single, Interstate, vocalist Wade Hunt and guitarist/vocalist Karl Nickolov use each other as springboards vocally, propelling each other to their best vocal performance. Interstate is radiant and glows with a chorus of glory. Closer Keep It Running: 10K And A Getaway doesn’t let up for a second rounding the record off with a hopeful sentiment. The chorus screams to strive for the best in times of hardship with "I’ll be making history this time tomorrow, when the rooftop’s spinning out of control...".
On It Comes With The Job Description as the title suggests the record takes a satirical perspective on hardship. The record is coupled with irony and melody and turns the notion of adversity around to prompt hope instead, in the Knockout Kid fashion.
Tracklist:
1. Hoop Dreams
2. …Is A Dead Man
3. Catalina
4. Drunken Nights And Mall Fights
5. Things I Wanna Say
6. How The Midwest Was Won
7. Not 5-0
8. The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
9. One For The Team, Two For The Dream
10. Make Your Peace
11. Interstate
12. Keep It Running: 10k And A Getaway
Rating:
Written by Aaron Akeredolu
