Bands like Biffy Clyro have proven that being Scottish and having a duff name doesn't have to hold you back from being a good band. It's safe to say, then, that Falkirk-based Toy can claim the same accolade.
Having supported up-and-coming bands like The Holiday Plan, and more established names like Douglas, has obviously had an effect on Toy; tight, melodic post-hardcore is their reason d'être, and they've chucked in a bucket-load of tunes for good measure. '_Prayer For Summer_' does start off with a slightly dodgy *U2* guitar line, but hey, Hundred Reasons did it with their first single, and it worked, right? The driving guitar lines and sturdy vocals are hardly anything new, but it's done well, unlike many other bands who are lumped in the genre.
You want emotional and epic? Toy can do that too. When Jason sings "_so save your tears for the rainy days" on a euphoric 'Month Of Sundays_', it brings back memories of when The Ataris were any good, or when ** Further Seems Forever** still made decent records.
'Emo', or whatever you want to call it, may be a genre saturated with bands who sound just like each other, but there are still some decent groups demanding your attention. Toy are one such group, and on the strength of this demo, things, presumably, can only get better.
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8Stu Chown's Score