Inpress, 1996, It's For Your Own Good Review

Article by: Timothy James


It's For Your Own Good

The Living End have come a long way on their second EP. Where their first release Hellbound lost song quality in sub-standard production, It's For Your Own Good, produced by Lindsay Gravina, packs brutally honest representation of their live sound - and this sound is most impressive.
From Here On In and English Army lead the EP admirably. The songs are more well crafted pop than rockabilly, and both tunes come with a chorus you won't forget in a hurry. Look out for other highlights; see Stay Away From Me complete with its breakneck drumming and minor bass solo, and Problem, that has a booming chorus showcasing Chris Cheney's distinctive vocal style.
This EP also comes with a fairly honest take on the Cure's 10:15 Saturday Night, although this reviewer would have preferred to have seen live favourite Tainted Love make an appearance. To label the Living End as a rockabilly band is lazy and/or uninformed. They have the potential to reach an incredibly wide audience, and on listening to It's For Your Own Good one gets the feeling that one day Cheney and co. will be scaling even greater heights.