The Shills – Sweet Inertia EP
The name is a little dangerous if you know it is a “fake” person, Sweet Inertia sounds like one of those titles that sound good but mean fuck all. A band name that seems to reject keeping it “4 REAL” is a surprise considering the label, the statement of intent bio included with the cd and the very James Dean Bradfield guitar across the tracks. But despite these reservations people could well love this, and I mean “love” like follow, get lyrics tattooed, think they are singing about your life. They are not yet worthy of this but they are at least a better bet than The Courteeners to give our hearts to. They could easily reach the excellence of bands that came in The Smiths wake – the title track and Tell Me What I Really Want bring the cool action of Gene or Marion to mind. There’s a lovely guitar part on the middle eight of Tell Me… that’s almost prog (in the background James Dean B style vocals can be heard to remind us where we are). Realpolotik is less successful – vague politics warbled (literally) over v. Manics backing that manages to sound far too desperate to be important. Closing Long, Still Night sounds a little like Cud and none the worse for it. Not as much a statement of intent as the other tracks but a classic rock moment most in the style of the Manics when they are very good (and often they are NOT very good). This is too derivative to go above 7 out of 10 but this is certainly a band with big ideas and grand dreams – and they just might realise them soon.
~EP is out 17th May on R E P E A T records.~