Wonky Brighton-based garage-psych pop trio Flash Bang Band have released their debut album ‘Bite Your Tongue’ on At The Helm Records.
After gaining a reputation as one of Brighton’s best live bands and winning many new fans with the release of their acclaimed recent single ‘If Your Driving’ – ‘Bite Your Tongue’ is the perfect step up from their previous material. The band draws on a myriad of influences to deliver an album packed full of effortlessly catchy chord progressions, and most importantly – some wondrous songs.
Recorded and produced at their home studio in Brighton by the band and Andrew Brothwell (ex- Crooked Mountain Crooked Sea), the eleven songs featured combine the hyperactive energy of early Blur with the scuzzy lo-fi indie rock of ‘Bakesale’ era Sebadoh, albeit played with their own distinct sound.
We had a listen to Bite Your Tongue. Here’s what we thought:
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Clackety ‘Dananananafreud’ has a rude horn-sounding guitar that sneers … and drops whiskers all over the place. The crinkled topsy-turvy drums tumble along like folding box-boards in the breeze. This all sounds mighty like John Boutté’s “Treme Song” from his Jambalaya album. It’s a colourful slice of Mardi Gras King-Cakes flambeau magic.
‘Screw Come Loose’ is a little tense. Like waiting for a date to arrive. And they’re late. It is a nail-biter. Then ‘If You’re Driving’ has a bumpy texture. The vocal (Andy Halliday) is high and proud. It rings out like a bell – then – suddenly – a foaming punky rock song bursts forth like a cherry bomb in a bottle. Explosive.
‘Rooting For The Underdog’ has a star-trekked silvery loop that reminded us of the intro to ‘Starman’. In fact, the vocal is very ‘Aladdin Sane’ indeed. The rhythm guitar fits tight inside the sheath of sounds and textures. And through this aperture the chorus bleeds out. Addictive fun.
When we heard ‘Young Rogue’ it wasn’t the first time that we mentally compared the Flash Bang Band with The Kinks. But this song really stands out as a clear example of 1960s British music hall pop. The rhythms are very Ray Davies and the vocals clearly replicate Dave. Margarine guitars slime around the soft edges of the melody – adding that extra special spiciness to this nostalgic piece.
A jamboree of colour, variety and texture. This is gonna go down well.
– © Neil_Mach September 2013 –
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