Tales sounds like a post-apocalyptic suburban horror story version of Ramsay St set in the late ’70s. It has you shifting in the drivers seat – white knuckles and all. Although I must say opener Getting’ On By feels like a misleading beginning to the album. It’s all swag and rock’n’roll and dare I say, almost cheerful. Well, there is at least a pocket of optimism somewhere in there…
That it’s not worthy of being on the album is a stretch. It’s fucking sick. But that pocket of optimism makes it stick out like dogs balls compared to the body of the album found between track two and track nine. It’s when you’re a kid and your parents tell you you’re going to Maccas but you end up at the dentist – a real head-fucker. Vikki The Butcher isone of the best tales on the album, maybe only superseded by the near perfect Carol. On these two songs everything seems to just fit perfectly for this band. The delivery and sentiment are at their sardonic, creepy best and the music charges behind like an out of control locomotive threatening to derail. The excerpt from a local Bingo night is the icing on the cake.
Big Fish and Edgar’s Lament aren’t far off these two and culminate in Untitled, which is as hilarious as it is brilliant. The self described ‘rock on pills’ juju in Big Fish is another interesting and appreciated cul-de-sac on the album. Keef is a driving instrumental which would be a lot of fun to watch live. And then there’s Carol. I’ve already mentioned it, but shit the bed what a tune. You know Trevor after a couple of listens. You know Carol. You know the other bloke. You can see it all in front of you, and the characters stay with you. This is an inspiring, intriguing and exciting rock’n’roll album. And other adjectives too even.
BY JACK PARSONS
Best Track: Carol (Vikki The Butcher a close second)
If You Like These and You’ll Like This: Graveyard Train
In a Word: Unsettling
