Hail Social songwriter Dayve Hawk originally intended to combine electro with metal using no synth. And while he wrote these songs prior to the emergence of
Franz Ferdinand, it's hard not to classify the end result as a late arrival of the post-punk revival. Thankfully, there are actually some first-rate songs here, with the jerky basslines from Dan Henry leading the way for dance-ready rock. What gives the band a slight edge is that there is almost as much pop as post-punk on its debut. "Come Out Tonite" is right out of an '80s teen movie and has a positive vibe, even if Hawk is singing of teen isolation (which could reflect Hawk's preference to be anti-social and write his songs alone). The only problem is that this and a few other tracks fade out too early, leaving a question mark as to how they'd finish the song live or even develop it further. Overall, however,
Wire-inspired songs such as "More Time" and "Feeling is Wrong" contribute to a worthy debut. ~ Kenyon Hopkin