Having already released their ‘Private Jet Flashback’ album at the beginning of the year, 2013 proved very busy for Essex-based pop rockers The 1957 Tail Fin Fiasco, as they also dropped this EP of extra material in the autumn. It’s not clear whether it ought to be regarded as a companion piece to the full album or treated as a stand-alone EP in its own right, but what is clear is that this is a band you should not miss. This raises the bar with regard to how something self-released should sound sonically, while musically the band Indulge in a whole cavalcade of 70s pop sounds, that’s absolutely thrilling in its all too knowing retroness.
Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews
SLAVE ZERO – Disambiguated Visionary
Let’s not pretend here: along with ‘Abandon All Life’ by Nails, this is undoubtedly one of 2013’s heaviest releases. But then, we had been warned: prior to Slave Zero dropping this fifth offering, vocalist Graham V. Flynn claimed ‘Disambiguated Victory’ to be “heavy, unrelenting and unpredictable”. It is certainly all of those things. It’s also a brief lesson in how to make an intensely technical death metal record – one which branches out a little further with each passing track – but naturally, it won’t be to everyone’s tastes.
THE BEAT RATS – Have Mersey!
As far as homages to the early Beatles are concerned, The Rutles will always be the best loved, but then their songs were strongly modelled on the already very familiar. As superb as the parody evident in the likes of ‘Number One’ and ‘Goose Step Mama’ may be, they will always be just that – parody. On this, their second disc, New York’s Merseypunk pioneers Beat Rats show they clearly love The Beatles’ early work as much as Neil Innes does, but although the sounds of rock ‘n’ roll prevail, they’ve been far less tempted to use obvious existing templates to create their brand of fun. As far as celebrating the sounds of the very early sixties are concerned, you won’t find much that’s more authentic sounding.
NICK CAPALDI – The Golden Summer EP
On his 2012 full-length LP ‘A Shade of Orange’, Dorset based singer-songwriter Nick Capaldi championed a whole world of sixties pop and rock influences with stunning results. Whether tackling the R&B grit of ‘You Ain’t No Woman To Me’, the hard beating soul of ‘Read Into Me’ or the sun-filled, Hollies-influenced pure pop of ‘You As an Island’, one thing was obvious: he was an artist to watch. His follow up release, the 2013 EP ‘The Golden Summer’ proves that Capaldi is more than just a one-shot deal, its four original songs equally as good as anything on the debut.
WEATHERBIRD – Cut Me Loose EP
Just teenagers at the time of this debut release, Weatherbird have already gathered praise from UK DJ Gary Crowley and legendary musician/journalist John Robb. After a couple of listens to their ‘Cut Me Loose’ four track EP it’s not so difficult to see why. Their style isn’t always especially original, but between the four members, Weatherbird comprises strong musicians and – perhaps more importantly – at least one member who knows how to knock out a really strong chorus.