Atari Teenage Riot - 60 Second Wipe Out.

It has to be said, these are one of the noisiest bunch of oiks that I listen to. It’s just overkill, and is so intense that it can become too much. At least that was the impression I’ve had with previous releases by them. But what about the new one? More of the same? Let’s take a listen. As Revolution Action screams into life, the immediate impression is that little has changed. It’s still a sonic overload. Somewhat mechanical in feel yet retaining the intensity of most traditional heavy bands. The vocals are bordering on over distortion, and the political sloganeering for, surprisingly enough, revolution and action are in full effect. If it’s an album full of stuff like this, it’ll be impressive, but just a bit overbearing. Fortunately by the time we’ve reached Western Decay, they’ve gotten a hold on themselves, and there’s a little bit of welcome breathing space in here.

Too Dead For Me is a punkier blast which could maybe benefit from having the fuzzbuzz guitar just toned down a bit. But by this time that doesn’t matter, you’re just thinking how angry these people are. Yep, call me psychic, but I reckon they’re definitely a touch on the angry side. With nearly every utterence seeming to be a direct challenge or else a "fuck you", and quite often both combined. It does get on your tits a bit. The temptation to turn and say, "hey man, like, just chill man, y’know, peace" gets quite large. Though you’d likely get a smack to the gob if you did so, with them bouncing around to an insanely fast dance beat as they shout "fuck you" at your cowering body. That’s the kind of music we’re talking here.

Digital Hardcore typifies everything about the band. The riff takes your face off, and then they come along to mop the blood up, before spitting it back out at everyone else. Sonically it’s just overloading. I can’t play this loud. I have tinnitus. And I just know that the amount of extra noise in this will do me no good. You thought the Wildhearts Endless Nameless was heavy on the noise and distortion factor. Take a listen to this.

I think I still prefer The Future Of War, but there’s not a lot in it. But this lot will destroy your hearing for you if you want them to. Could someone send in the nurse now please. Preferably a really good looking one! ;-)

Available on Digital Hardcore Recordings.

 

Liberty 37 - The Greatest Gift

Is it really over a year now since I first saw this band and did an interview that appeared way back in the mists of time, or at least the mists of the the previous year. Yep, it is, and after a couple of single releases and some support slots on various tours, the album is finally here.

Increasingly that emo kind of tag that has been placed around the bands seems misguided. It is I guess thoughtful in its cretion, but it’s harder, more rocking and seemingly less overwrought than some emo. I'm even going to throw in a comparison I don't think they've had, but that's one with Tool. Kind of in the understated vocals, or maybe it's just the feel in Oh River, which has Aenima stamped over it too these ears. Maybe not as adventorous, but the general feel is there. Actually, the real joy of this album lies from this track on to the finish. You get acoustic noodlings with ABC...Giant Steps. There's the glorious No Beauty re-recorded from those early Org days, followed by Revolution is still one of their best, and I'm still trying to figure if it's a song about themselves, or maybe just the anarchaic punk movement - read the chorus, go figure that bit out for yourself. Maybe it's just that I have a strange set of logic that I can apply to most things and see something that utterley isn't there. But yeah, as we move in from here to the end of the album, there's some subliminal songs, melodies, riffs. A joy. Falling Out has a Zeppelin feel to it's riff and classic chorus. Instantly classic rock but not dated or any of that bollocks. If you don't belong to scene so exclusively that you're not allowed to listen to something outside your scope, then you may well appreciate this. It's followed by Tabletten with a whiff of the Janes Addiction in there and a little something, oh god, what is it. This is one seriously good album. And then we reach the tour de force Seize The Day clocks in at a monster 9 1/2 minutes long. It takes a few plays to kick in. There’s a hint of the Janes Addiction in it’s style. The slow build up, creating the dynamic. It’s something that can be very hit and miss. Initially this was a miss. But it’s growing into a bit of a hit and a half, and after a few plays, those 9 minutes fly by. Much like the album. You have to give it at least half a dozen plays before you appreciate what’s going on here. A lot is quite sublime.

This is a viciously addictive album, if you give it the chance. I was getting ready to write the review, I'd listened a few times, and was unsure. I thought I'd give it another spin to refresh my mind and then write. And suddenly, THWAP, it gave me a good slapping around the face as suddenly everything about it clicked. I had to tear up everything that I'd not yet written about it and re-write it. Sort of thing. And album's such as that, those that creep up on you, like they're trying to make you jump, have a habit of being the ones that you can still play a couple of years down the line. Can't say better than that now. Can I?

Shame they didn't include Take It Like A Man with it's bastardised Paranoid riff. Just want everyone to hear that, cos it's great. Oh well, you'll just have to check out a couple of Organ releases for that then.

Available on Beggars Banquet.

 

Garbage - Live Edition.

Right, quick mention for this. It’s a 4 track live offering. The music is fairly perfunctionary, in that it’s a warts and all sort of recording. Well, as warts and all as a band with as polished a sound as Garbage have is going to get. The songs shine through, and as you may have figured by now, I’ve actually become a fan of the band, so I enjoyed it. No, the reason for mentioning it is this. It’s something that’s been done to reissue the Version 2.0 album. Which is something I hate. Bloody re-issues ripping people off. But this was done well and correctly. To an extent. If you have the album, you can buy this seperately, which is what was done here, thanks to Vickie. It’s a concept I like. Offer it seperately. Or a trade-in. The 6 quid charged is on the steep side, and that’s where they fall down. But certain labels, RoadRunner, Earache et al, could do a lot worse than take a look at this example before issuing yet more rip off re-releases and special editions. It’s not perfect, but you should at least respect Garbage for the way they’ve tried to approach this.