well where on earth did this come from.
over the last couple of years i have received the odd cd-r from this et al, while being obviously part of the thriving live scene in leeds and being associated with various labels that are active in the area (hello dance to the radio) the limited 7″ records did nothing to prepare me for this.
the transformation from the low budget demo recordings to this epic album is nothing short of miraculous.
and the reason ?
well i suspect a lot of it’s down to the introduction of richard green to the equation. richard has provided his “all analogue” attic studio in leeds (‘recorded onto 2 inch tape using a 16 track recorder and all analogue equipment’ – are the band trying to tell us something about the sharp overly compressed noise of protooled modern rock), as well as mixing and producing the album.
so just who is richard green?
well, old’uns out there may remember ultrasound.
an over the top 90s alt.rock prog band there were apparently, as so many are, destined for great things, only for it all to come crashing down upon the release of their one excessive, but brilliant in parts, double album, everything picture.
obviously however, during that bands protracted period richard took a lot of mental notes, learnt the studio craft, and has now turned attention to giving new upcoming bands, as well as his own prog-esque adventure with the somatics, a noise ridden seal of approval.
and damn, what a difference this has made to the bands sound.
several of the previously released tracks get a return visit and just blow the originals out of the water. literally.
layers and layers and layers of rich warm guitars burst out giving the whole old school shoegazing genre a much needed kick up the arse.
this time around, the songs burst with energy and colour and finely honed melody, they don’t gaze inwardly at their navel while hitting the effect pedals like the scene of old, instead the music pumps the blood and drives onwards and ever upwards.
the album is one constant adrenalised 39 minute head rush.
the songs are still very much in the league of young indie boys reaching out to the world, but when wu, yes you read that right, wu, sings i never heard anyone say, fuck you to the man’ during the superb catscan, you do begin to think that maybe there is a lot more to this band than just hormonal urges and a heavily loaded mixing desk.
shame that the chosen font on the fairly nondescript sleeve renders the lyrics virtually unreadable.
maybe when the album is picked up by funded label, and given a cosmetic makeover, this fantastic album can reach the audience that it genuinely deserves.