I managed and elated to grab hold of Deputy Siren’s EP, while scouring for new materials to review at the friendly Ignite Store. Currently under the banner of The Bastard Movement, Deputy Siren have garnered somewhat of a stalwart following of fans. The five piece is made up of Shidah, Ashik, Shah, Fizzy and Nashir who are heavily influenced by the likes of New Found Glory, Paramore, Saosin and the likes. Deputy Siren is fronted again by Shidah after a brief absence and it is truly wonderous to hear her saccharine vocals again.

Unfortunately her voice is constantly being drowned by the guitar tracks. It seems like a constant struggle for control between both guitar tracks and the vocals, and all I hear is the noise that is generated in between. What’s worse is that, this is prevalent on all the tracks! The vocals are integral for a band like Deputy Siren! Despite this setback, this EP is a testament of Deputy Siren’s musical brilliance as quoted on their myspace “the catchiness of pop and the aggressiveness of hardcore all rolled into one”.

This EP is bogged down by the same problem that most local releases is afflicted with: Quality. There seem to be a callous attitude towards having a good sound due in part with the somewhat expensive costs of recording. Lie You A Fairytale could have been an outstanding EP if not for it’s sub-par mixing. Recently, I purchased the +65 compilation featuring tracks of local bands past and present. The older recordings sounded better, crispier and a joy to listen to compared to what is being produced today. Perhaps the availability of home based recording has truly cheapened the recording experience.

Sound quality aside, Lie You A Fairytale is still a solid EP and perhaps a good introduction to an awesome band. Yet I am still waiting with bated breath for a full length album. Surprise me, Deputy Siren. Please.