Dragged Up – Blake's Tape / Clachan Dubh

Dragged Up are a Glasgow based band comprised of Eva Gnatiuk – Guitar/Vocals,Simon Shaw – Guitar/Vocals, Stephen Mors – Drums, Alpha Michelle – Bass/ Backing Vocals and Sophie Sexon on Flute/Violin/Backing Vocals. I have something of a history with these as I had reviewed their previous release High on Ripple for The Sleeping Shaman and had seen them live at The Ferret in Preston not long after. Needless to say I'm a fan.

According to Eva from the band “the two songs belong together thematically, as they share a commonality of horror, the sins of the past lurking in the waters, graveyards, churches, etc. Yet whilst the A-side is based on fiction, the B-side is rooted in reality/history”. The single has been released by Northwich, Cheshire's Rare Vitamin Records, home to the likes of Gas Kunst, Pill Fangs, Kicked in the Teeth and The Battery Farm. Currently the five-piece is touring with Stephen Malkmus (Pavement/The Jicks) latest band The Hard Quartet and there are plans afoot for a brand new full-length later in the year. But before we get ahead of ourselves let's focus on what's in front of us.

First up is 'Blake's Tape', which is based on Horror legend John Carpenter's The Fog. Anyone who references that director is more than alright by me, the track itself commencing with squalls of glorious feedback and noise, in a manner not too dissimilar to the likes of The Velvet Underground and Spacemen 3. Things then start to settle down a little and you are met with the more melodic yet punchy strains of 60's Nuggets style Garage Rock/Psych. The whole affair is unsettling at times, both the combined voices of protagonist (DJ Stevie Wayne) and antagonist (Father Malone) as well as the creepy Surf-Rock flavourings helping to add to the effect. The band demonstrate that they have barely missed a beat since last year's aforementioned full-length. Add to that the ace cover-art of pinup Adrienne Barbeau (Carpenter's then wife) and you have all the ingredients of something truly special, which this is.

The second track 'Clachan Dubh', refers to a real location that accordingly 'embodies a heady mix of pagan/celt/early christian and viking history'. As noted earlier there's a less fantastical theme here, instead basing itself on personal experiences, particularly as its somewhere Eva has been to many times before and going by the promo-notes description sounds positively picturesque. Indeed there's a connection to the preceding A-side number seeing as its also somewhere where she spent Halloween in a log cabin with a bunch of horror films. A punchier start to the track from the off and a far punkier aggro sound, this is a lot more of a direct approach that takes its cues from 90's Riot Grrrl as well as shades of Dinosaur Jr/Pavement what with the fuzzed out slacker vibes. There's even a little bit of Siouxsie Sioux in the Vocal department and the Banshees when they were knocking out rawer tracks such as 'Make Up To Break Up'. A strongly contrasting track and one which is no worse off for it. A thrilling conclusion.

There you have it, by the time you've had the chance to get your teeth into it, its over. Two tasty numbers with which to whet your appetite and boy do they accomplish that, in spades. My advice would be to nix that trip to Starbucks (other less evil coffee shops are available) for one day and pick up a copy of this, (CD, Tape or Digital) and prepare to get dragged up.