Album Review: The Violent Hearts - "Everything And Nothing"


Hailing from Bristol, the Violent Hearts were formed from the remnants of the 21st century version of power-pop mainstays Sharks (the group where Chris Spedding got his start many many years ago). On the evidence of the lead-off single from this album, Terminal, I wasn't sure what to expect as it seemed a bit unsure whether it was punk, goth or new wave.

As that taster suggested, Everything And Nothing is definitely a bit of a schizophrenic beast but not necessarily in a bad way. Opener Everything And Nothing kicks on with an impressive energy, sounding like some great drinking session involving the Ramones and the Cure which could've backfired massively but has that right mix of power pop energy and gothy menace to work really well. Porcelain World is similarly contrary but engaging with its driving drums meshing well with the twanging gothy guitars and incongruous Beach Boys style organ on the chorus.

The Violent Hearts don't show any signs of getting any less varied as the album goes on either - just when you think you've got them tagged as a gothed-up power-pop band on something like SSE, they whack you in the chops with a fiery slice of punk attitude like So Removed. The only flipside to this is that it occasionally makes Everything And Nothing sound a bit unfocused with the tracks gelling a bit uneasily with each other. I mean when you go from dreamy Ride style shoegazing (All Of Them Witches) through Buzzcocks style pop-punk (Slice Of Life) to something which sounds oddly like a gothed up XTC (Hex On Me) in successive tracks, there's always a risk of the listener losing their train of thought a bit.

Overall though, there's more good here than bad (if I had to pick an album highlight then the panic attack of Bleach In My Lungs would probably edge it) and you certainly couldn't accuse the Violent Hearts of being a predictable band which is to their immense credit. A little bit more focus and the future could be pretty bright for this lot I reckon.


NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑🌑 (7/10)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Garbage Days Revisited #67: Jason & The Scorchers - "Still Standing" (1986)

Image
  "And though you are so far away, ten thousand miles of sorrow/This prison cannot, will not kill our blessed free tomorrow"  - Jason & The Scorchers  - Good Things Come To Those Who Wait Like a lot of Britrockers my age, it's probably Ginger Wildheart 's fault that I became a Jason & The Scorchers fan. They're a band who the G-man has never made any secret of his admiration for and the Wildhearts even covered the Scorchers classic White Lies  as a B-side to Anthem  many years ago. Most people who've heard them will happily tell you that the group's 1983 EP Fervor  and their 1985 debut full length*  Lost & Found  are classics of the cowpunk genre, the perfect missing link between Johnny Cash and the Ramones and you can add me to that list as well. The follow-up, 1986's Still Standing though? Now that one seems to be a bit more divisive. And that's why it's the one we're covering here on Garbage Days Revisited... (* - well, sort
Read more

Album Review: Steve Vincent - "Recovered From My Past"

Image
  Best known as the frontman of Brit sleaze perennials Paradise Alley, this is the first solo album from Steve Vincent. I have to be honest, Steve's day job band are one of those who I've heard of but don't recall hearing anything by but the general signs here appeared to be promising with a guest list including the Wildhearts' Danny McCormack, ex-Dolls and current Mike Monroe guitarist Steve Conte and McCormack's old Main Grains bandmate (along with several others) Ben Marsden. The first thing to be aware of here though is that if you're expecting a Soho sleaze by numbers affair then you might just be in for a bit of a surprise. If anything, Recovered From My Past  sails closer to the shores of power pop or the vintage strain of '80s Brit-glam (the Babysitters, Soho Roses, Torme, Marionette etc) with a healthy dash of early Hanoi Rocks in there as well. Certainly the harmonica honking likes of Yesterday's Man , Last Train To Babylon  and Can't Bring
Read more

Album Review: The Wannabes - "Monster Beach"

Image
The Wannabes are the musical brainchild of Nottingham resident Wayne Zenith and from looking at the guy's  Bandcamp page , I think it's fair to say he's a somewhat prolific feller with over 50 releases under various incarnations on there. Musically, as the title and artwork probably suggest, it's pretty straightforward Ramones style three-chord headbanger territory (including a competent cover of Rockaway Beach ) with a touch of the Cramps' gleefully sicko gorehound tendencies as songs with titles such as I Was There At The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Stuff Cindy In The Incinerator  suggest. There's a few little tricks in there to ensure this doesn't fall into one trick pony territory though with the keyboards over the top actually adding a bit of a '60s Nuggets  style feel to some of the songs especially opener Somehow  which even has an extended piano-led break in the middle - brave move but it works. The more moody mid-paced Drag You Down  (whic
Read more