(Fuzzbox FZBX005)

Sixteen tracks, nineteen minutes?

Yes!

Shouty, incohately peeved vocals?

Yes!

Nasty, fucked-up guitars?

Yes!

Never heard of these buggers before but after a quick listen in Soundclash, I was hooked.

The opener, ‘Rock’n’Roll’ sets out their stall. Great (barrier) riff, stupid vocals, it’s come and gone in 1.05. Mind you, that’s long compared to ‘Come On’ which is a stately 13 seconds of aggrieved everyone-baiting.

They slow down a bit for the almost prog-length ‘Christ’s Harmonica’ (1.59). Jesus Christ is apparently back and well fucked-off that the world isn’t ruled by rock. He sets this out in a great sermon, peppered with Tourette’s-style evangelising and a *brilliant* harmonica solo. Really.

What do they sound like? Well, even though they do rock like Yank motherfuckers, there’s definitely a touch of Billy Childish here. Also the ghost of old Mudhoney, some Fudge Tunnel and other noisy, sleazy fuckers like that. There’s not enough swamp-swing to make it Crampsy but they can sound like a very irritated Jon Spencer on some tracks.

‘Instrumental #10’ has *some* Fu Manchu-ness to it but it’s got far more balls. And tracks like ‘Well I Want’ are just great, bastard riffmonsters, complete with mad stop-startiness. Honestly, most rock bands would take the *one* song like this or ‘Wanna Ride’ and build an album around it. Sludgefeast just knock the fuckers out, effortlessly.

The album closes with ‘My God We Got Some Rockin’ which is very, very, very true. Check out the band’s homepages.

Buy this album if hearing Starsailor makes you feel like climbing a water tower with a rifle. Buy this album if you like excellent, short, fantastically poppy songs that are as rocking as a frantic wank behind a bus stop. Which I’ve never done. Oh no.

Don’t buy this album if you like the Stereophonics,
love and kisses,
Jyoti