(11-track compilation album/ 'REMIX BLAST')
You still can't beat a good compilation album of underground promotion.
As if lo-fi 'Sight and Sound' and 'Glamage' releases weren't enough, here's 11 bands from in and around Gloucester, the hometown of this album's producer George Moorey.
To say all members of all bands are between 14 and 18 years old, the quality is frigging astounding, due in no small part to the vibrant mixing and production from George and in-studio cohorts.
The styles of music featured are wide-ranging and excitingly far-reaching. The bulk of the bands' music may predominantly be punk-rock-metal biased, but there is much originality to be had right from Symon Says' CD-opening riff of their 'Expensive Stealing' anthem, to The Penance's spiky punk rocket blast, Mudfite's bass and beat interaction in a 'Desert Situation' and Abcess' quality emulation of grungy-punk-metal bands such as Defenestration.
Holloh's 'Forever More' is grungily soulful, while Squint's 'Smoke' bass-line, vocal stylings and off-kilter guitar FX add flesh to their cool skeletal structure.
The hardcore drums and heavyweight theatrics of Dark Heart profess a clear love for bands in Metallica's realm, as do Coild.
Which leaves the three most outstanding bands with 3 utterly outstanding songs to show for their songwriting efforts�
The Smoking Seasons may be the final band to feature on 'Wired,' but the exciting vibrancy and highly ambitious scope of 'So High' is stupefying. Meanwhile, Leap of Faith's lovingly lilting acoustic beauty in 'Voices' is truly stunning, primarily because of cute singer Jenni Lasseter who's voice could surely make her a superstar if only she'd had the good fortune of being voted into 'Fame Academy' and that results in LOF reminding of The Cranberries. Which leaves just U-Turn and 'You' which is fuelled by its uber-cool pop-rock melody and vocals so sweet and innocent you can't hear this and not think of great bands such as Kenickie and Belle & Sebastian, with Danielle Ryder leading the singing duties while her 3 boy band-mates lay on the backing vox to produce something of a timeless anthem that has serious potential to make U-Turn a huge turn-on.
Hence the fact that this compilation album is 'Wired' for fucking great sounds indeed�
(5/5 for both enthusiasm and originality, and 10/10 for the fantastic production values) (STEVE RUDD)
For more info please ring Andrew on 01452 396620, or e-mail [email protected]