Video Nasties - On All Fours
Dammit, the boys sound like they're having fun
Video Nasties certainly love their sleeves up, legs astride, indie rock 'n' roll. It's almost refreshing to not have to verbally grapple with another concept album or under-produced art project. HNB is something of a false start, mind, belting its way right out of the blocks with sneers and typically gruff vocals, but is a little uninspired. On All Fours really gets going with Jellybean. Ridiculously unpretentious, it's no doubt an antithesis to the art school crowd but, dammit, the boys sound like they're having fun. The LP then begins to surrender the band's initially unapparent soft spot for the more theatrical indie of Interpol and Editors as delay pedals are stepped on. Thankfully, it's done well; Old Flowers is a particularly accomplished slice of yearning, riding on the back of a clever drum beat and filthy analogue synth. Video Nasties aren't reinventing the wheel by any stretch, but there's surely room for another few acts this well-crafted.