The Sticks, Self-titled
The Sticks , Self-titled [Upset The Rhythm]
» A good listen to the Sticks’ self-titled debut and it's clear that surf guitar isn’t dead. Brought to you by a Brighton, UK duo comprised of two fellows named James and Stu, they're reminders of why you originally bothered with those old Ventures records in the first place.
Thankfully, this ain't your “Telstar” or “Hawaii 5-0”. James and Stu take the format a step further, employing the styling traditions of both Pere Ubu and the Fall. Speaking of the latter, it comes as no surprise that they supported Mark E. Smith as his backing band at Brighton’s Westhill Community Centre back in February 2009.
“On the Run” and “One and the Same” are rough ‘em up pub rabble tunes with great call and response amidst churning surf guitars. “Earshot” exhibits the roar of hyper active beach happenings, with pounding drums and ancient Vox amps blaring loud to keep sand from their vacuum tubes and speaker cabins. The Mancunian master Mark E. Smith exceeds "influence" on some of these tracks, like when his deadpan vocal delivery is paid tribute on both “Honkey Time” and “Got Me.” While the vocals are sparse and behind the fuzz of the guitars, the amazing reverbed grooves can evoke both 1960s transistors partially buried in beaches, and Coltranian jazzy affectations, like in “Giant Strides.”
My gripe is that the where the vocals trail off, The Sticks' monster movie soundscapes beg to be draped in that great Lou Reed school of rock n’ roll vocal styling. Perhaps they were playing with the great surf rock instrumental paradigm, but to these ears, they could have had gone the extra mile and added some text--know your rights, young lads.
Nevertheless, they present a series of stunning and expedient vignettes that never break three minutes, let alone two. The great moments (like “Slam Party") see the band churning out raucous licks and hollering out a two man party jam; you can almost envision bikini-clad bittys on dreary UK shores, twisting.
Posted on February 02, 2010
More on: the sticks, upset the rhythm, the fall, the ventures, pere ubu, brighton
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