Monday 13 August 2007

SHELLAC – THE RUDE GESTURE, A PICTORIAL HISTORY EP (TOUCH AND GO)


SHELLAC – THE RUDE GESTURE, A PICTORIAL HISTORY EP (TOUCH AND GO)

The first Shellac record holds all the promise that they were later to follow through on and continues tracks that remain constant inclusions in their sets to this day. These are three of the most tightly wound songs in recorded history, tracks so stern in restrained aggression that it requires such adept poker faces not to corpse in the process.

It opens with “The Guy Who Invented Fire”, a song so great I know a band to have been named after it. Opening with some of the clearest, harshest, best recorded drums anywhere in music history the hissing buzz of Albini’s guitar already offers a sense of menace before

The bridge between the first song and the second feels almost non-existent as swiftly proceedings meld into the declaration “I got a girlfriend, you cannot have her” and most definitely you believe what is being said. “The Rambler Song” is a distinct gesture of condemnation combined with an apparent celebration of a trophy not intended for mass consumption. With each guitar whistle it feels like a stab to the heart of any potential protagonist. Eventually after much corruption and sounds that sound carved out of wood with bare hands it reaches a definite conclusion decreeing no loss.

“Had his heart broken”

Flipping over the release takes on a sombre tone as “Billiard Player Song” tells a gargled tale of heartbreak and affection. This sounds like the harshest and heaviest blues song in history.

This just has to be heard to be believed.

Thesaurus moment: secure.

Shellac
Shellac interview
Shellac live
Touch And Go

No comments: