Help She Can't Swim: The Death of Nightlife
Help She Can't Swim: All bang and crash
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Tuesday, 08, May 2007 01:28
Fantastic Plastic, out May 7th.
In a nutshell.
Relentless. Retro. Whiny.
What's it all about?
Following up on their acclaimed 2004 debut album, Help She Can't Swim return with The Death Of Nightlife. This time out they have fused the spiky edge of their earlier offering with 12 considered yet searing aural assaults.
Who's it by
This four-piece ensemble formed while at college in Southampton in late 2003 and a year later set out their stall of punk-garage-art-rock with the release of Fashionista Super Dance Troupe.
They drew plaudits from the music press, now with Justin Callaway in the producer's seat, Help She Can't Swim - namely vocalists Tom Denny and Leesey France, bassist Tim Palmer and drummer Lewis Baker - are gearing up for round two.
As an example.
"I want to kiss her, but I don't want her near me." - Dragged Under A Wave
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Perhaps if the gulf between their fans and the bods who draw up the Grammys is concreted over.
What the others say
"Truth be told, it's a lot more prog than the bang-thrash we're used to from these three boys and one girl." - DrownedInSound.com
"Mostly killer with some moderate filler, The Death Of Nightlife only hits its stride four tracks in on Hospital Drama, a splurge of dance-punk" - NME
So is it any good?
It says there are 12 tracks on this album and my CD player stated the same thing, trouble is they all sound exactly the same!
An endless wave of grating vocals that veer between whiny and shouty-shouty are underscored by relentlessly brutal guitars and drumming. Help She Can't Swim formed while at college, and this is where their 'I'm too cool for school' attitude should have stayed.
From opener Pass The Hat Around to closing track Never The Right Time For Us and all points in between such as Midnight Garden, you want to hit the 'off' switch with such gusto as to risk injury.
4/10
Lee Davis