PEACE
- Bloodshake
The intro to ‘Bloodshake’ is booming out of Twister Towers’
office speakers as I enter the room, all breezy riffs and syncopated African-esque
rhythms. In a heartbeat I leap to the conclusion that it’s a new offering from
Little Comets, a second later the Maccabees, Vampire weekend and so on. In
truth, ‘Bloodshake’ has neither the rhythmical nous of the Comets, the
structural or vocal class of The Maccabees or immediacy of Vampire
Weekend. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not an
awful record, it’s just unlikely to usurp many of their peers standings in the
popularity stakes. It’s a little like having an Athena poster of tennis girl
scratching her arse gracing your wall as opposed to Titian’s Danae.it serves a purpose but the
novelty is certain to lose its shine given time.
Palma Violets - Best of Friends c/w
Last of the Summer Wine (Rough Trade}
If you’re so inclined and can afford to read the NME these
days you’re sure to have come across the Palma Violets. If you've been looking
for anyone from the mag itself, they can be found on all fours kissing each and
every arse of the aforementioned London based quartet.
It’s with no little surprise then that band have finally
managed to release their debut after signing to Rough Trade in May of this year.
There has been after all, some concern that the band may have been crushed
under the weight of the ever growing hype.
So what’s all the fuss about, well let’s start with
comparisons. The Libertines, Ramones, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Vaccines, The
Clash and Jesus & the Marychain are among just a few of names being touted.
They are references that in some cases have merit, whilst others are simply
deluded. Strangely though, there’s no mention of 60’s psych pop, which is
surely where those guitar sounds at the songs core lay.
So on the innovation scale it seems the metre reading is
quite low, but does it really matter? Well, probably not. As with most bands it
will sooner rather than later boil down to the quality of the songs. Best of
Friends and Last of the Summer Wine both have their charms, but not enough to
have me dragging my house down to the bookies just yet.
The fact is, it’s too early to tell if the band is going to
matter this time next year let-alone in ten years’ time, where in true
Libertines fashion the NME retrospective may or may not be on the cards. The
album will drop sometime next year (probably spring), and that along with
touring and festival shows will give us a far better idea. For now we suggest
you just enjoy it for what it is.
Dinosaur Jr – Pierce the Morning Rain
Mascis and co return with the pre-cursor to their third
album since the band’s reformation in 2005, and fans of Jr’s brand of slacker
rock ‘n’ roll will not be disappointed. The boys have done little to stray from the
path of familiarity; indeed ‘Pierce the Morning Rain’ could comfortably sit
alongside old favourites such as ‘No Bones’ or the ever popular ‘Freak Scene’. So
safe is this current offering It’s as if Mascis has taken the latter’s lyric
“Don’t let me f**k up will you, cause when I need a friend it’s still you”
quite literally.
Spector – Friday Night (Don’t Ever
Let It End)
“The honeymoon was over, before the wedding had begun”,
Friday Night’s opening sortie, and a lyric we genuinely hope doesn’t get stuck
in Fred Macpherson’s throat. Coupled with the debut album christened ‘Enjoy It
While It Lasts’ you really get the sense that Spector rarely leave the house
without a white flag or a throwing towel just in case.
Here at Twister Towers our early enthusiasm for the band
stalled after catching three unconvincing shows littered with technical woes
and sloppy workmanship, all in the space of a few months. As for Friday Night,
it’s more of the same jaunty indie shenanigans and the last of the obvious
singles off the album. That said it’s not quite in the same league as ‘Chevy
Thunder’, ‘Celestine’ or ‘Never Fade Away’. From here on in the album is built
for Christmas, with stocking fillers for all the family, so new material will
be needed if the boys are to keep the ball in the air.
Now, I don’t want you to get us wrong, there’s plenty to
like about Spector if only the whole circus didn't seem so forced and in your
face. So where does that leave us then? Well, they've almost certainly done
enough to warrant a second album , but you do get the feeling that its’ release
will signal if it’s to be never fade away or the honeymoon is over. Our verdict; we still need convincing
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