Several things annoy me deeply about this album. Firstly there’s the typeface ripped off the Libertines. It suggests, correctly, a complete lack of originality, and worse still that we’re faced with yet another imitation landfill indie band. It was a depressing prospect two years ago, and now it’s reached suicidal levels. And then there’s the fact that some journalists would describe, as they do every other indie rock act that shows attitude, as balls to wall rock ‘n’ roll you can believe. You can’t believe in it just as you can’t believe in an old bearded dude in the sky going around painting animals.
All that aside, there are things here worth listening to. The guitars riffs are always dark and interesting. “Box of Dust” is an excellent little slow number made all the more enjoyable by its contrast to the Oasis-light crap that stands on either side. But its scant relief from an album that is a world of pain.
Most amusing is “The Kraken”, whose lyrics could be used as a bad play school lesson. “The choo choo train as he moves any faster” is just one line where we found out how things sound. How enlightening. This is brainless cock rock par excellence.
Stay away unless you’re approaching brain death.
Release Date 19/04/2010 (We Make Things)
I started out writing for the Manchester Evening News as a freelance journalist back in 2008. The idea that I would be given free access to music and gigs seemed somehow miraculous to me, and I proceeded to take full advantage of the situation. When the M.E.N. decided to constrict its coverage to only the very biggest bands, Simon Poole approached me with a plan to make sure that all the very talented musicians of this world that pass through and/or live in Manchester would not go unnoticed. As the New Releases editor here at Silent Radio Towers, it remains my proud duty to cast a critical eye over the music and reviews that come my way in a manner that is both supportive and fair. Above all, I strive to write as entertainingly possible. Favourite musicians include the Pixies, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Mercury Rev, Os Mutantes, The Knife, Beach House etc etc. I'm a firm believer that all genres (except nu-metal) contain music of great quality...
