Metric Acorn (label)
07 March 2011 (released)
17 March 2011
Its’ been three years since the first album from these guys and the intervening years seem to have sharpened them up and focused their music.
Big guitar lines and reedy keyboards backing a vocal that harks back to the 60’s or the punk era but there is a soul groove running through this as well – if you don’t find yourself bouncing around the room then I despair.
Take the title track; in 2 minutes 38 seconds they manage to pack in The Clash, Hazel O’Connor, Tom Waits and XTC and still manage to sound completely original.
The opening track ‘What Life Brings’ is a riot of guitar riffs and machine-gun drumming with Mr Mansi’s vocals sounding passionate and aggressive at the front but a very ‘60’s “doo doo doo do da doodle do” lightening the number just enough. Paul White’s guitar has such a sharp edge that you think he would have cut himself.
‘Need Want’ is a brilliant burst of pop with a heavy soul twist to it and then ‘Man Overboard’ comes in with its slow beat, powerful and deranged guitar and darker than anyone vocals, it builds to a massive crescendo befor tailing off with Mansi’s bassline on its own.
There is a wicked video out for ‘Donkey, Punch & Judie’ and the song itself is dynamite Rock & Roll with a sardonic line – XTC anyone?
In the best tradition they pack 12 songs into less than 40 minutes and there isn’t a wasted moment on the album. Producer Tony Platt has done a great job of keeping them under control but allowing them to sound free and loose – a great trick.
