| These four Dubliners are the closest anyone
has come (although Sheffield's AC Temple
got pretty warm a few years ago) to duplicating
Sonic Youth's sound of bizarre, mutant guitar
tunings and madcap mathematical drum patterns.
Submarine, their debut, has at least five
tracks so redolent of the Youth that begrudging
admiration for their nerve is the only acceptable
reaction, although when they slow it down
for Astronaut Blue and Betty Clean (the latter
moving with a true moody malaise) they are
capable of dishing out scary noises of their
own initiation. The lyrical themes (paranoia,
something rotten in the state of suburbia,
things catching fire) are just as familiar
as some of the guitar sounds, but the darkness
seems genuine and singer Fearghal McKee's
voice has an interesting touch of the Nick
Caves about it. |
