From Manchester (home to many amazing artists... and Oasis), comes Just Rattled, a band who formed last year and who have only been gigging since April. The membership consists of Mark - (Yossari Baby/The Starlight Magic Hour) – Guitar/Vocals, Marly - Lead Guitar, Alex (Slow Knife) – Sax/Synth, Ste (Ermine Fudge) – Bass and Ellie (Splint/Blanketman) on Drums.
The five-piece's followers on Instagram include A Bear Around Your Neck (whose recent release A Two Faced Prince/With Your Permission To Rot was my first ever review for Clean Sheets) and Dick from Cheshire based outfit Gas Kunst. They have also supported Londoners Girls In Synthesis and played fantastic Manchester venues such as The Peer Hat and Yes. For such a new band they have certainly hit the ground running and what better way to cap this all off then with a record, in this case the A Famously Cold Winter debut EP. So with all that spiel out the way let's take a listen...
As a lover of Surf Music 'Silence of the Vacancy' grabs my attention from the off, its Dick Dale jamming with the David Conway version of My Bloody Valentine when they were going through their The Birthday Party and Cramps phase before becoming the genre defining Shoegazers we all know and love. That's a compliment by the way, I love that era of the band. The track has an eerie quality yet one that doesn't at all feel hammy or pastiche, even with the band's name indicating an interest in horror and the darker side of life. A fun opener which gives us hints of what to expect from the record. 'Inanimate Secrets' alternates between the shimmering Goth-Rock and Surf flourishes of the preceding track and a raw Punky energy that bears similarities to quirky Post-Punkers Swell Maps, Grunge Pioneers The U-Men and Australians The Scientists, oh and there's some exquisite soloing from Marly as well, what more could you ask for?
Saxophone features prominently in 'A New Found Relief', to produce an ominous film noir style effect, while the Vocals themselves take a soulful turn evoking the likes of Michael Gira (never a bad thing) as well as a not quite so melodramatic Scott Walker. The Drums and Bass have a motorik quality which allow the Guitars ample room to create gorgeous sheets of lethal noise at will. Finally the aforementioned Cramps also come to mind, the track recalling 'New Kind of Kick' from the Off the Bone compilation. Another winner, this is becoming something of a habit. 'Morning Light' is the album's final track and parts of it, especially the Basswork, has a 60s Psychedelic feel, more specifically 'Time of the Season' by The Zombies. Rather than detract from the music however, it instead enhances it to produce what are some startling results. Indeed there is an otherworldly sensibility with even the track's title bearing this out, think too a creepy Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd, when they were at their most compelling and before the pompous Stadium Rock and rampant egos. Indeed, this concluding number demonstrates a band unafraid of stepping outside what could be perceived as their 'comfort zone', dipping into genres which may not necessarily be thought of as cool. A bold step, yet one which works.
If any criticisms can be levied, it's that the artwork doesn't quite align with the band's sound, potentially confusing future listeners who may enjoy what the band have to offer. However I'm nitpicking, all in all, a thoroughly enjoyable debut and one which demonstrates ample amounts of promise.
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