Album Review: The Imbeciles - "Imbecilica"

 

I have to be honest and say that my expectations of going into listening to this new album by Anglo-Americans the Imbeciles was that we were in for a set of fast and shouty Bad Religion/Dead Kennedys style punk rock - I think maybe the band name and the Bedtime For Democracy style album cover might well have coloured my judgment there to be honest.

Suffice to say that I was very wrong. If anything the Imbeciles reside in the poppier end of the post-punk spectrum and it's not a bad place to be - the opening track here Tiny Blue People could almost be Wire in one of their more melodic moments while It's Not About You and I'm Not The One owe a slight nod to latter day Gaslight Anthem with its jangling guitars and catchy chorus. The gentle London Rain even has a tip of the hat to Ray Davies and Name Of The Rose has that unmistakeable Sweet style floor-stomping glam rock drumbeat powering it along.

It doesn't get any less ambitious as it goes on either - I Won't Let You Down is a big Spiritualized style six minute epic with its phased guitars and echoey Grohl style vocals while Let's Go! has an excellent chugging Babylon's Burning style guitar riff to power it along and the strutting glam rock of Superstar makes it an excellent closer. The presence of Killing Joke man Youth on production duties here has to be noted too - the guy’s done a good job.

It's not quite flawless - Van Man strays a bit too near the AOR border and ends up conjuring up the decidedly unwelcome spirit of Lenny Kravitz and You're Gonna Wanna and Soldiers And Junkies sound more like the dullness of the Red Hot Chili Peppers than anything but given how surprisingly ambitious Imbecilica is, I'd say they're allowed the odd misfire here and there. One thing's for certain, you definitely can't fault the variety on show here and overall Imbecilica is definitely well worth a listen. A couple of creases to iron out and the thought of what these guys could do next time out is a truly mouth-watering one.

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌔🌑🌑 (8/10)

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