(colossal Scary Monsters) In a year when several young bands – Dilly Dally,Bully and others – attempt to revive the corpse of loud, punky, or alt-rock,the Philadelphia quartet Beach Slang were streets ahead of the competition. They’re an unlikely proposition: the normal twentysomethings fronted by a fortysomething, James Alex, or who – rather like Guided By Voices’ similarly late-starting frontman Robert Pollard – sounds as if he’s willing himself into the role. That he succeeds is down to the quality of the songs: Beach Slang’s debut album sounds like a forgotten underground classic from 1989 or 1990,every song hanging its hooks out on massive guitar lines. It’s an indie record, yet it sounds huge – and not in an overbearing way. Too Late to Die Young strays a little into Gaslight Anthem territory, and with Alex complaining approximately how he “ain’t never felt love” and romanticising the punks,but the change of pace is essential on an album whose principal interest is in pinning the listener to the wall. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com