Other Half – ‘Soft Action’

The dreaded sophomore slump is a real thing. Will a band’s follow-up album hit as heavy as their debut release? Will they be able to build on the foundations of songs that made their name? For Norwich natives Other Half, the answer is a resounding yes. ‘Soft Action’ not only steps into 2020’s debut ‘Big Twenty’, but triumphantly stomps forwards. Things open at breakneck speed with ‘Like A Dog’, charging in at just under 40 seconds long, it’s an immediate introduction to their hardcore-esque edge. Laced with sardonic dryness, it sets the stall for next 40-ish minutes, with the closing line of “a bad time to be a bad guy” hitting with particular weight. ‘Jollies With The Boys’ quickly follows up, and is littered with impressive drum fills from Alfie Adams, who somehow manages to avoid perfor...