BulbGash Magazine Live review:

Review - The Firm @ Bulb Bash, November 08

North london based band 'The Firm' grace the stage of The GreenHouse
Effect in Brighton. From the introduction the crowd are immediately
hooked! The progressive bass lines are reminiscent of early 'Interpol'
with late 80's/early 90's shoegaze guitars. Singer Ross has the vocal
of a young Edwyn Collins of 'Orange Juice' fame. They seem like the
type of band that likes getting out of london as most get caught in a
wide trap! ...They bounce into recent single 'Round The Rim' which has
a hint of modern smiths! it's rappid pop at best.
The Firm are a falanx of modern guitar pop! If you have the chance to
watch them, don't be shy as they're a great live act and look to sweep
london of all those poxy charlatans!


From www.thebeatsurrender.co.uk:

Daily > Record Box

The Firm - Dismal Results

From www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk:


Firm: Dismal Results


Reviewed By: Russell
Ferguson
Label: Whimsical Records
Format: CDS
Have you ever heard a record and immediately realized that there are a
hundred influences in there, but you can’t put your finger on one of them ?
'Dismal Results' is the debut single from London based band the Firm and is just
such a record. It has a heavy slant towards 80’s indie bands like the Comsat
Angels, the Chameleons, Icehouse, Southern Death Cult and the Psychedelic Furs.
Having so many influences could have confused and muddied the sound and they
might have ended up sounding like a copy or worse a parody of an early indie
band. Thankfully 'Dismal Results' does not fall into that trap. It has a crisp
and clear sound with a clear direction. Maybe because it was produced by Matt
Terry who also produced 'We’ll Live And Die In These Towns' by The Enemy is the
reason why.

Ross Liddle's vocals are a cross between John Lydon and the
Chameleons' Marc Burgess, higher pitched that you might expect but it all fits
very well into the sound. It is not easy to hear all the words that he sings,
but so what ? The balance of the instruments between Chris P Willsher (guitar),
Julia Sieradzki (bass)and Yameen Khan (drums) is almost identical to the sound
of the Smiths. They sound nothing like the Smiths but the way all the
instruments are tuned and are balanced is similar. If you want to sound like an
indie band, what better place is there to start ?

I have always been a
sucker for good indie bands and I like this record very much. I can see myself
playing this record a lot .


Track Listing


From www.tastyfanzine.co.uk:

The Firm – Dismal Results (Whimsical)

It’s always a slight shock when you see yourself quoted on the press release
of a band you are just about to start reviewing. Inevitable feelings of ‘was it
really any good’ start to surface and you begin to wonder if your colleagues and
peers who also receive this press release are laughing at your apparent lack of
taste. Fortunately in this case, my taste is proven to be impeccable as The Firm
following up their EP from 2007 with single ‘Dismal Results’- all swirling
effects and nihilism befitting such an emotive title. There’s some Smiths
influence in evidence and Ross Liddle’s terse vocals preach the word according
to The Firm to the listener. ‘Release what you like, not what you should like’
say Whimsical. I couldn’t agree more.
www.myspace.com/thefirmband
watch the video to ‘Dismal
Results’
SB


From www.allgigs.co.uk:

Firm Favourites Are Ready For Life's Less Dismal Results - The Firm [London]
Interview

Interview

North London quartet The Firm have been gracing stages around the capital and
South East for a while now - plenty of bums on seats (if there were seats to be
sat on) and much appreciation thus far. Now they enter the bigger stage by
releasing a single, their debut, on iTunes on Monday 23rd March and to
celebrate, they are holding a launch gig at The Gaff in Holloway on Friday 20th
March. Tickets cost £4 on the door which is a bargain when you consider that
there are other bands on the bill such as The Drowners, Grand Central and Victor
Talking Machine.
With all this going on, and the fact that the aforementioned single, "Life's
Dismal Results"/"Round The Rim" (via Whimsical Records) is a respectful nod to
all things Post-Punk and today's economic climate, it seemed a good idea to down
a few beers and talk music, respect and, er, service stations (one of them loves
Oxford Services - don't ask) with a couple of The Firm (and the local drunk
fountain of knowledge) in that mecca for all aspiring bands, The Dublin Castle
in Camden.
Let's try to paint a picture - The Firm use their love of New Wave circa the
last 20 years and blend the colours together without plagiarism but with plenty
of respect for their peers. Ross Liddle, lead singer and (a slightly drunk)
raconteur tells me what they are trying to achieve and just what the single is
all about.

We all love music full stop. All of our influences are used to form
a sound that is definitely born out of being with like-minded musicians who want
to craft the best sound possible. I think we are just starting to do that with
the line-up we have now. We all grew up listening to the same broad spectrum of
music yet concentrated on different aspects of it.

Softly-spoken drummer Yameen adds to this:

My favourite bands have always been Ride, Interpol and BRMC. All 3
bands have great drummers. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have also never had huge
success but have been one of the best bands live. We want to be that
good.

Ross continues:

Our Chris (guitars and piano) is amazing. He can pick up what we are
playing so quickly and add his own footprint in minutes - he doesn't let up
until he has coloured in his part yet doesn't over blow the
arrangement.

Instead of getting merry with us, Chris is sleeping at home due to working
silly shifts - I imagine he is sleep-playing another deft melody during his
dreams. Julia makes up the four with deep-seated bass designed to break up a
party - she too is absent but is mentioned in equally respected tones by Ross
who genuinely seems astounded at the talent around him, a rare breed.
Yameen takes the reins whilst Ross's bladder cries out for relief whilst also
trying to escape the local opinionated geek who proceeds to tell us how great a
pop band Madness were and still are....yeah yeah yeah we know but this is The
Firm's moment not Suggs's:

My first exciting musical memory was watching The Verve at
Glastonbury in 1997. Astounding. I grew up during the Britpop era, we all did.
It was a great time to be hearing music that gave you a real sense of confidence
- drumming was a way of escaping the norm.

Ross returns and continues (without the chorus of Camden's biggest fan):

As a band we want to just give the audience a great time. In this
day and age with money being tight, we can't afford to be a let-down. We are not
just about Britpop, we also adore Magazine, Joy Division and, believe it or not,
Duran Duran....well the first album at least. Great music lasts and that's all
we want to do. It will take time but we will get there.

I ask what influenced the words behind the single...is life really that
dismal?

Yes it can be but it's how you deal with it. Some people look away
and that's what the song is about. I don't normally like explaining my lyrics
but in this instance I don't mind. There are other people worse off than you
after all - I just happened to be in a rut and wrote the song.

I decide not to ask about its B-side, "Round The Rim"! Either way there is
hope in their grey-coloured overtone.
The future will see a further single released this year (possibly "It Could
Not Be The Same" and the excellently titled "More Than A Mouthful") and a launch
night on the 20th. Things are looking good. They also received a 4-star review
for "..Results" on this very site some time back.
At which point I offer the headphones to Ross and Yameen and proceed to play
them a few mini-discs of selected bands who I think The Firm touch on ever so
slightly - a bit of fun with no strings.
I am impressed with their knowledge during this exercise as they guess 5 of
the 10 artists during the playback. First up is Ultravox with "Saturday Night"
from the first album released in 1977. Ross smiles:

This is one of my absolute favourites - easy.

I smile back - John Foxx and Ross Liddle definitely share a charismatic
similarity. Next up is Simple Minds' "Changeling", a track from their
oft-overlooked opus "Real To Reel Cacophony" and a regular favourite at any
trash-disco-house party in the early 80s. They both nod in appreciation but fail
to guess it is Jim Kerr and cohorts - it was a long way off from stadium rock
and Patsy Kensit. They guess The Associates, Magazine and Hot Chip before
becoming stumped at two Factory-label acts, Section 25 and The Names. I play
them "New Horizon" by the former:

Jeez, that is some bassline. Where do they come from?.

Blackpool.

Blimey. Are things that bad up there? This is stunning.

I smile again - they both like it and Yameen goes all gooey at the ride
cymbals on the funereal track. But it's The Names who get the vote of approval
with "I Wish I Could Speak Your Language" and "Calcutta":

You can tell it's Hannett - it's been Hannetized! That drum sound.
Yameen has been trying to get that right. This sounds so big....I have never
heard of them before......

I explained that they are from Belgium and rode the New Wave wave with one
awesome single on Factory (cruelly overlooked even now) and several fine singles
for the Benelux territory. They look at each other in a kind-of 'this is what
music should sound like' way:
Ross:

I like some Factory stuff - Tunnelvision for
example..."Hydroplanes"....

at which point I get another round in and shake his hand. Now there was a
band who really got ignored and here was a man from London who knows who they
were.
After two final tracks, one by Sly & The Family Stone ("THIS is right up
my street") and Cabaret Voltaire (I scared Ross with this - "Sluggin' Fer Jesus"
does tend to do that to people), it is time to pencil in the trip to Holloway on
Friday. If you go then you may witness one of life's better results.
Paul
Pledger

From www.roomthirteen.co.uk

Colourful, Catchy and Edgy

Rated 11 out of 13

London band The Firm’s debut single will surely stand them in good
stead for future success. It’s a catchy, furious lyrical delight with a
vibrant guitar line that swells in and out with glorious ease. There
are moments of glossy guitarwork at the right moment just as the
charismatic vocal charge from singer Ross Liddle dies down. ‘Life’s
Dismal Results’ has a sharp cynical edge but an ebullient melody that
sweeps you away and will stick in your head long afterwards. B-side
‘Round The Rim (And Back To Him)’ adds in some chaotic vocal harmonies,
crafting layer on layer to create a lithe and lively tune that blisters
with scintillating percussion and edgy guitars. The vocals and
rapturous pace and irrepressible and although there’s more than a hint
of bands like The Cure and Suede about this tune in particular, there’s
also a fervent punk sensibility that makes what the band are doing
refreshing still. The Firm certainly major in musical style, which is
sure to see them gain plenty of future success.




Track Listing

01 - Life's Dismal Results

02 - Round The Rim (And Back To Him)
From www.musicdash.co.uk:
THE FIRM: DISMAL RESULTS



..

..














............

09 March 2009 / The Firm / 4 Trk CD

By Parker Knoll

Broadcasting from London, The Firm have a gloomy sound where monotone, straight line vocals perch atop the stepped descent of a few chords and some effective hooklines. In fact The Firm are good at mixing this gothic yet heartening indie with some excellent little themes. There are snippets of the Bunnymen, Chameleons and early 80’s post new wave modernism. Remarkably, “Dismal Results” isn’t that far removed from the sound of Manchester’s legendary Monomania circa 2000. There’s a live recording of the B-side “Round The Rim (and Back To Him)” in addition to the studio cut and it’s the former that provides a better sensation of the energy and impact of The Firm – and it’s all rather very good. MMM ½

Resources: The Firm Whimsical

 


From www.allgigs.co.uk:

Dismal Results - The Firm [London] Single Review

Single Review

Dismal Results' is the debut single from London based psychedelic shoe gazers The Firm. The product of a culmination of a plethora of confusing juxtapositions, the band of over two years attack their music and accompanying lyrics on a number of fronts making their sound somewhat unique.Consisting of Ross Liddle (Voice & Guitar), Chris Willsher (Lead Guitar & Piano), Julia Sieradzki (Bass Guitar) and Yameen Khan (Drums), the group combine here in the bands third year with a cruising, sometimes morbidly melancholic shard of fuzzy psychedelic rock. Produced by Matt Terry of The Enemy's 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns' fame, the bands 80's influences pulse through, instantaneously recognisable in the vocals of Ross Liddle who embodies the spirit of The Cult, Suede and The Cure. Like Morrissey's twin brother, the quivering naivety of Liddle's vocals rains through. It's a sinister, monotonic version of Ricky Wilson in play, which accompanied by the most energetic and explosive set of guitars ever witnessed by man make for good times for all. Twinned with 'Round The Rim' the singles b-side, 'Dismal Results' is surely due the reverse treatment.

Rating: 4/5

Matthew Clutton------------------------------------------------------------------------------From www.leedsmusicscene.net:

The Firm: Dismal Results

Debut single from London-based quartet The Firm offers up two tracks of straightforward rock that eschews current musical trends in favour of a more timeless sound.

A-side 'Dismal Results' is packed full of classy, assured riffs that act as a slick backdrop to Ross Liddle's likeably casual vocals. The chorus is similarly laidback, forgoing big, brash hooks, and instead relying on a very neat turn of phrase to win over the listener. Part of The Firm's appeal lies in the fact that they never seem to be trying too hard.

While this type of no frills rock has the potential to become repetitive, The Firm avoid this pitfall by picking up the pace after the midway point. They layer on the riffs, push the drumbeats to the forefront of the song and emphasise the underlying, jangly beat to ensure that 'Life's Dismal Results' doesn't just keep on delivering more of the same.

B-side 'Around The Rim (And Back To Him)' follows the formula laid down in 'Dismal Results' but has a more urgent sound, largely thanks to some insistent riffs and snappy drumbeats. 'Around The Rim...' increasingly veers more towards the heavy rock end of the spectrum, with a bridge section that delivers plenty of squealing chords, darker, brooding riffs and pounding drumbeats. This harder sound is carried over into the final quarter of the song, again ensuring that The Firm never get into the rut it'd be so easy for them to fall into.

On the downside, this song's simple but effective chorus is repeated far too many times towards the end. Although you'll initially find much to like in the choruses' slick phrasing, you'll be completely sick of it by the time 'Around The Rim...' draws to a close.

The Firm don't prescribe to any obsessively-specific musical genre, and are as such difficult to categorise. These two tracks may not drill themselves into your head like some of the more genre-specific music does but, by that virtue, The Firm's debut feels like a breath of fresh air.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From www.toxicpete.co.uk:

The Firm

Single - Dismal Results

Play 90 second soundbite of 'Dismal Results' @ 'CD quality'

With echoes of Echo and Siouxsie and even hints of the Durans, The Firm blast out the nu-wave pop-rock with powerful, punk tinged aggression and singalongable new-romantic finesse. Retro no, nu-something yes! The Firm's brazen attack is led by fuzzy, distorted, scathing guitars and supported by an eternal-time-clock that is the combined rhythm section of oh-so-solid bass and metronomic drums. Atop of all this, the yearning, impassioned vocals soar and ride across the melee as they jostle for prominence with the massive sonic 'noise' of the instruments. It's a hard rather than harsh kinda vibe that The Firm give off; energetic and passionately angry whilst somehow retaining focus on the 'politics' of the job-in-hand. The Firm's sound is not so much dense as thick-set; the guitar fills practically every available space behind the voice and provides a sort of corrosive layer that is always trying to eat its way to the fore but never quite gets through the cut and grind of the humanic outpourings. If not truly dirty, The Firm's 'noise' is certainly deeply tainted and stained with electrically derived ozone that etches its way into the midst of the electric storm to colour rather than destroy the layered natural 'tones', leaving a certain grubbiness behind. 'Dismal Results' is accompanied by 'Round The Rim' - it's here that the Duran's pop music ethic seems to cut through the more punkish roots of the 'A' side. Similarly robust and just as compelling, 'Round The Rim' demonstrates the more harmonious and pop-sided facet of this hectic sounding outfit - a great pairing resulting in a tidy and workmanlike release that'll suit several 'genre-hats' and raise The Firm's profile by several increments.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------From www.rocksellout.com (Best Of Myspace):

The Firm recently came to my attention via Myspace. I am one of the more probably foolish people who do actually check every band who ask to be added. Sometimes, just sometimes, I find bands I consider worth sharing. I confess to being a lot more cynical than when I first started contributing to Rock Sellout. So, what attracted me to The Firm? To start, their well presented page immediately captured my attention. Then, the opening guitar riff off their forthcoming single “Life’s Dismal Results ” kept me long enough for the vocal to grab me. Shades of Theatre of Hate sprung to mind, though there is more than a touch of Sonic Youth about them. Anyway, the band sent me a full biography and a half decent mp3 to share, so check them out. With lots of live shows coming up, I reckon you could do worse than catch them live. Below is what the band sent me…their words, not mine.

Originally opening for business in Spring 2006, The Firm had been bubbling beneath the surface of London up until the middle of 2008, when its aims began to be made flesh. The dynamic and definitive Firm - Ross Liddle (voice & guitar), Chris P Willsher (lead guitar & piano), Julia Sieradzki (bass guitar) and Yameen Khan (drums) - came together and thus The Firm was born. Prior to that, its foundations had been laid by Liddle & Sieradzki, with help from Stefan Hauschildt and Alex Avery. Taking inspiration from acts as diverse as Sonic Youth, Suede, Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Smiths and probably a load of other bands whose names begin with ‘S’(and several more with those that don’t), the aim to combine juxtapositions - leftfield with pop, shoe gazing with exhibitionism, poetry with prose, violence with sexuality, literary with cinematic, comedy with tragedy, epic with guttural, atmospherics with brutality, psychedelic with punk - has been greatly expanded upon, and will no doubt continue to be so. A great many gigs were played, including shows at The Purple Turtle, The Islington Academy, The Good Ship, The Hope & Anchor, The Bull & Gate and (most strangely) The Polish Culture Festival before the group self-released a couple of early Eps. Around this time, they set up alternative club night The Vapour Trail, initially a strictly DIY project that even saw them edit a monthly fanzine, along with play host to several exciting new bands (some of whom are very much involved to this day and can be found in the top friends). The club night is now held every third Friday of the month and sees regular DJ sets from Sieradzki, amongst others. During 2008, the aforementioned definitive line-up emerged, eternally clad in black and consistently bludgeoning ears, with often noisy and atmospheric pop songs, coloured by Sieradzki’s pounding bass, Khan’s powerful drums and Willsher’s guitar orchestras. Topped up with Liddle’s sardonic and witty wordplay, they call themselves “The Poetic Wall Of Sound” and will release “If You Don’t Want To Know Life’s Dismal Results” on Whimsical Records on March 9th. MP3: The Firm - “Round The Rim And Back”

Quotes and reviews 07/08:

 

..

"With heavy drum beats, strong angular guitar rifts, and a powerful bass the end result is a sound that mixes psychedelic with punk rock, pop and even Gothic. In other words their music is fast, loud and intelligent and it's evident that we are listening to a band that does not wish to be stereotyped into one particular genre. The Firm is definitely a band that will grow with age. They are talented, fun and packed with energy."

- www.40shadesofnoise.com

"It's exciting to see a band that dress up nice, a band that look like rock stars; drawing influence from such stark icons as Siouxsie & the Banshees, and The Cure in their edgy, early glory, The Firm have refined their own brand of classy, dark, politico post-punk, spearheaded with cruel, flinty vocal stylings."

- Bull & Gate Promotions

"At times, very much a cross between Jesus & Mary Chain and Sonic Youth, with drums that recall the drumming work exhibited on early Ride records and almost punky vocals."

- Max Promotions

"Fusing together post-punk, new-wave and shoegaze, The Firm take influence from many of the successful bands of the 80's (The Cure, Joy Division, Echo & The Bunnymen etc) but still manage to create a sound of their own rather than simply retreading old ground. "If You Don't Want To Know Life's Dismal Results" opens the EP strongly, displaying some impressive pop sensibilities to ensure that the track remains memorable while combining them effortlessly with some nice guitar effects and strong vocals."

- www.musicspotlight.co.uk

"The Firm are certainly on top of their game, it's a complete mix of musical genres which normally shouldn't work, but this band pull it off in all its glory. " The Art Of Saying No" is an absolutely stunning piece of musical genius, it hooks your attention from the opening riff that hypnotises you for the entire 3 minutes and 18 seconds. Ross Liddle's voice generally is able to deliver a spectrum of emotions. This band has a superb capability of capturing not only your attention but on a whole is very enticing, I got to the end of the 4 tracks and was eager to hear more but for the time being I will just wear this CD out on repeat until the album comes out.
Overall a must have, I would definitely recommend this band."

- www.glitzine.net

"Steeped in plenty of classic 80's influences - Banshees, Cure, Cult, JAMC, Bunnymen but still retaining a contemporary link with post punk and new wave. There's a desolation about the sound of The Firm despite a musical richness of effects and Ross Liddle's vocals which veer successfully between Morrissey and Moyet."

- www.tastyfanzine.org.uk

"Merging a weakness for the C86 era and a justified self-confidence within their definition of indie and shoegaze, The Firm seems to be more than ready to make the first step into a restless future. Finally intelligent pop music is back."

- Henning Keohler, VPT fanzine

"The typically tragic 'Cure-pop' somewhere between New Wave and Shoegazing sounds somewhat rejuvenated by modern influences, which does not sound like Placebo's endlessly repeating guitar strumming, it's much more beat orientated."
 www.revolver-club.de

"Inspired by the most gloomy elements of post-punk, The Firm announce their bleak world view with Smith's tinged navel gazing session 'If You Don't Want To Know Life's Dismal Results' (the chorus surely doesn't require completing...). The downbeat highlight amongst the bunch though must be 'Fulfilment For The Faint Hearted', which mocks the cowardice of measuring ones self-worth in terms of mortgages, motherhood and Mondeos, in shopping-list style Pulp would be proud of."

- Bubblegum Slut fanzine