Fivehead
Big Mistake Factory EP (Tight Spot)
The casual saunter of “Cape Codders,” the opening track on Fivehead’s new EP, kicks Big Mistake Factory off on a quiet tone, with singer-guitarist John Hunt’s vocals so close to an amplified murmur that the song seems an internal conversation. But then the second track, “Mo Elling,” jumps out rocking, a blistering pop tune of Bob Mould-ish proportions. Thus Fivehead quickly pulls us into their indie-rock world, playing melody and tension off each other, keeping the options open. The familiar sound takes a twist here, though, as guitarist Beaty Wilson and drummer Davis Comeau each contribute compositions to this six-song EP that both fit into and expand the Austin quartet’s bulging repertoire. “Halftime Show” is a fast-strumming bit of indie pop, where “#1 Heart,” with its string sounds and stabbingly sad vocals, becomes perhaps the band’s most somber and emotionally charged tune to date. “Young and Compliant” and “Last Vegas Stance” round out the EP, continuing the balance of quick rockers and more thoughtful experimental forays that make Big Mistake Factory a solid outing that signals a band growing in strength and breadth.
This article appears in May 25 • 2001.