Home opens this record with a gorgeous throb of bass, growing ominous synths, a dark drumline, a pair of guitars that sound like they’re sizing you up then hints of moody saxophone. It’s a bit of a shame then when it turns into screaming nu-rock, there are moments that work in amongst the ensuing experimental fury – some nice guitar lines here and there – but it’s such a collapse into cliche after a really invigorating beginning. At the five minute mark it turns into a starker 80s-alt sounding arrangment, as they sing “Echoed in silence the lies will consume us no more.” It doesn’t last long before it’s back to what went before, there’s some nice posturing guitar from Tom Bates around the seven and a half minute point. Bellowing “No loss, no gain!” as a Low-era sounding saxophone draws the track to a close.
After the 47 second collage of electronic ambience called … it’s into Mother I, Brian Thomas’ bass is particularly enjoyable, like the stomach of a walrus lolloping along, whilst the duelling guitar riffs complement one another well. There’s something quite Tin Machine about the track once the vocals kick in, the lyrics “We are older, wiser, selfish!” resonating and echoed in the following guitar licks. There’s an interesting moment of juxtaposition around the four and a half minute point where both the ‘straight’ and ‘scream’ vocals are present and it works beautifully, at this point the track really comes alive and this inspiration seems to buoy all the playing around it, Guillaume Croizon’s drums especially.
It segues quite neatly into the beginning of On The Road which for a few seconds is pretty good, but then gets a tad wearying and insipid, hopping around ideas erratically, though each new avenue is more cloying than the last. Fortunately it’s over relatively quickly and the very Bowie/Eno-like Still begins, Will Gardner’s saxophone front and centre amongst jazzy light guitars. It continues like this for a while, vocals seeping in, electronic twitches and then a growl of synth before it turns into a booming, frantic slightly off-beat and menacing number about three and a half minutes in; when the vocal comes in cooing “Man is born insane” it sounds strangely like The Beatles Happiness Is A Warm Gun and the ensuing scatty bass playing is delightfully twisted, kind of in the same vein as brilliant American outfit Untied States. It’s just a pity it doesn’t really know where to go from here, petering out to a near standstill before climaxing with a rather uninspired chug to the finish line.
A somewhat frustarting EP then from this Brighton sextet, moments of inspiration and imagination abound but they’re sandwiched between rather dreary expanses of familiarity. When they hit upon a great idea it’s truly exciting, but this record is unfortunately weighed in favour of the more disappointing moments and that’s a pity.
[Rating:2]
