"You know the shows you go to where, after getting past security and avoiding a full-blown cavity search, you get inside and everyone’s dwelling in the shadows at the back of the venue and around the bar. Well, My So Called Life are the band that brings the spark, making everyone surge forward, jumping and shouting, so the show begins. Galvanised by the charismatic showmanship of front man Vic and the unrelenting energy of the band around him the crowd begins to bristle with excitement and suddenly the feeling you went along for in the first place is there. My So Called Life play a turbo-charged brand of melodic emo that leaves many of their peers standing. Ranging from Jimmy Eat World-esque power ballads, to furious explosions of controlled energy and back to catchy pop-punk that My Awesome Compilation or even New Found Glory would be proud off. These guys are bringing what you’re after and taking it to the next level. The Sussex-based four-piece, formed of lead vocalist/guitarist Vic, guitarist Duncan, bassist Lancelot and drummer Ollee, know how to grab a melody and hold it and they take that knowledge on tour constantly. This, their debut CD after three years of honing their craft, is a moment of passion caught at the studio and this could well be the ’something new’ you’re looking for." - engineer records
"My So Called Life are filled with energy, emotion and powerful vibes that are easily transmitted to the crowd. Songs with less simplicity and more genuine ideas, they are songs to love!"-Kostas Platis - More music management
UK rockers, My So Called Life, have given this Split Series the amazing, catchy pop-punk anthem "The Revenge of the Black Hearted Fairies." A smart, tight and infectious tune that My Awesome Compilation or even New Found Glory would be proud of. Hailing from Sussex, England, this hard working, passionate, always touring four piece band features lead vocalist/guitarist Vic, guitarist Duncan, bassist Kai and drummer Ollee. A perfect blend of energetic fun, melodic emo and pop-punk that is a true gem in a saturated scene of poor pretenders! A band that truly know how to grab a melody, hold it and never let go!-unknown
what an excellent album and the more you listen to it the better it gets. These guys deserve to go all the way to the top and play to large venues.
Tight melodies and really good thought of vocals on all tracks- EBC
Sensitive, melodic and driving, this seven track album shows great promise for things to come and is only hampered by the brevity of the whole thing. Fleeting, at just over twenty minutes, you do feel a little cheated that there aren't a few more tracks here, but as we all know, it is quality not quantity that is important. There are far too many albums with two good songs and ten tracks of filler on the market at the moment and MSCL thankfully don't appear to fall into that category.
The whimsically named 'Revenge against the Black Hearted Fairies' is a sugar sweet, guitar led, melody driven fare with the heart melting refrain of "We'll clip their wings and fly from here/Tonight, I'm your hero". Another standout and veritable driving masterpiece is 'Trading my Spots for Antlers', which, with its punchy guitars and cry of "No such thing as a happy ending" is just brilliant. With the album being book-ended with an intro and an outro, you feel as if you have been given this succinct little parcel which has been nurtured with considerable care and affection. Although the book-ending of albums is fast becoming quite old-fashioned and lost in production for flashier openings and closes, it fits the album and its content beautifully.
Unashamedly heartfelt, On Phonelines and Letterheads can be seen as just another one of those bland emo offerings from the US, but there seems to be a little more here. With echoes of bands such as The Jealous Sound and, in places, the deeply missed Dugong, this is quite a gem.-Room Thirteen
5 songs of pure emo pop rock brilliance from UK.I'm not sure what these English bands are doing that makes so many of them good,but whatever it is -keep it up!My So Called Life music rides primarily on wonderful melodic hooks.The sound is not emo,not quite punk or pop,yet all of them together.The vocals have that wonderful crisp accent that is never annoying,rather it serves to add to the romantic element of the songs thus giving them a more passionate appeal."On phonelines and letterheads" lyrical content is typically obscure of this genre and by that I mean that they probably don't mean anything at all,yet it doesn't matter because it adds to the beauty and urgency of this three-piece's arrangements.I'm definetely keeping this.-Sprawlzone
On Phonelines And Letterheads is one hell of a way to start a career. Settling themselves firmly between fluffy emo and good natured pop punk, the South British foursome never forgets what this is really about: incredibly catchy songs. The first regular track, Revenge Against The Black Hearted Fairies, not only show the band’s predilection for weird titles (as can be witnessed also on the three remaining vocal tracks), but manages without ever bringing anything new to the emo pop punk genre to still stand out on its own. Combining the melancholy of Sunny Day Real Estate with the more driving beats of Jimmy Eat World, My So Called Life eventually deliver their very own thing due to their exceptionally mature songwriting. Even the three instrumentals fit seamlessly into the overall picture, knitting together the different pieces.
If My So Called Life are able to maintain this high level on a longplayer, they have all the chances in the world to make it to the top of the emo scene, as long as people are willing to recognise that this genre can also spawn worthwhile bands outside the USA.-disagreement.net
