Labasheeda
– Changing Lights (Presto Chango Records)
LP
/ CD / DL
Out
Now
7.5
/ 10
Dutch angular rock trio release their new album.
Why
a Dutch, guitar based band should name themselves after a small Irish village
is maybe a mystery, but the intrigue of the band doesn’t stop there. With a distinctive sound very reminiscent of
The Velvet Underground circa Andy Warhol, and influence from rock royalty The
Who, Labasheeda have assembled an album which is entertaining and full of
surprises.
Perhaps
like Nico, lead singer Saskia Van Der Giessen has a very romantic voice which
occasionally breaks out of tune. In many
ways it adds to the charm and rawness of the album and allows the live feel to
continue through its twelve incisive tracks.
It’s
all very broody stuff, with the occasional violin which maintains the intrigue
and almost adds another dimension to their sound. It’s far from perfect, in fact it seems to
lose its way halfway through, but the fact remains that this is music at its
most primitive state and for that fact alone it’s well worth a listen.
Album
highlight, Tightrope has an absolute killer of a riff and kick starts the album
again after a slight lull where some of the tracks seem to veer onto a
directionless path. Tightrope lifts the
album once more and blasts any virtual cobwebs completely away, before the
subdued instrumental Leave Of Absence which sits quite nicely in the running
order.
There’s
another link to The Who with their cover of Circles, originally recorded as the
b-side to Substitute which is not surprisingly the most commercial track on the
album, but it’s also a very worthy version.
Comparisons to Kim Shuttock of The Muffs would be valid as violins are
thrown into the mix.
Album
closer Into The Wide is a rousing rock number.
Some slightly dodgy vocals but the feel and passion of Labasheeda is
maybe what is almost as important as their songs. Another violin interlude certainly adds to
the track and creates a surprise ending.
Undoubtedly, a band that is one to catch live, and one that could give
you a night to remember.
Links
Presto Chango Records
Labasheeda website
Labasheeda on Twittter
Labasheeda on Facebook
Kim Shattuck Interview
The Muffs album review
Published on Louder Than War 16/07/15 - here
No comments:
Post a Comment