PHARAOHS: MEDICINES (REVIEW)
February 21st 2007 01:00
PHARAOHS
MEDICINES EP
(2006; Unikron/Timberyard)
RATING:
TRACK LISTING: 1) Smoke Signals / 2) You Can Throw Dirt / 3) Capitals / 4) Splinter / 5) Broken Arm / 6) Bad Room / BONUS: Keelhaul (filmclip)
Proving that disco-punk doesn’t have to be a dirty word, Adelaide’s Pharaohs conjure up a dark, dramatic sound that is both dreamy and danceable. Just when I thought I’d had enough of this post-punk revival bullshit, which for the most part has been as toothless and bland as '80s new wave, along come a bunch of Aussie bands (including Group Seizure, My Disco, and Pharaohs’ Adelaide compadres Wolf & Cub) who play with the more gristly elements of post-punk, looking fondly on the past while pushing against the slippery invisible detergent bubble of the future.
It might just be my own distaste for ‘dance’ music of any kind talking here, but these electro rock bands tend to tickle my balls of appreciation most satisfyingly when their music cranks some guitar action and offers something deeper than dancefloor jollies. Pharaohs succeed at this right off the bat on Medicines, with the swampy blues of the intro “Smoke Signals”. It’s an instrumental that draws you in from the start with its murky atmosphere, swelling into a huge wailing guitar solo like a peat bog becoming an ocean in just over a minute. That kind of excitement and epic quality is carried through to the oceanic guitars and surging, simmering bass undercurrent of follow up “You Can Throw Dirt” and maintained throughout: from the frenetic dubby punk of “Splinter”; to the stiff electro rock of “Broken Arm”; and in the wistful epic grandeur of “Capitals” and “Bad Room”, which take the band’s sound into gorgeous, neo-psychedelic shoegazer territory.
Pharaohs sound is quite a bit like that of the Cure’s 1989 album Disintegration: chugging, melodic bass; watery, diamantine guitar; weepy vocals. And yeah, it is dark, haunting and a bit neurotic, but these kids make it their own by keeping the excitement levels up for what is ultimately some heroic and jubilant rock. It’s all grounded by the prodigious drum skills of Joel Crannitch, who pounds and skitters all over the darn place, giving machines a run for their money. Up yours, machines! Like sex with you, it’s all over in under twenty minutes, but it’ll be interesting to see if this young band can get it up for a full length album.
***
IMAGES
Medicines
(album cover used under fair dealing)
*images on this page were taken from the following Mess and Noise page:
Pharaohs: Medicines
MEDICINES EP
(2006; Unikron/Timberyard)
RATING:
TRACK LISTING: 1) Smoke Signals / 2) You Can Throw Dirt / 3) Capitals / 4) Splinter / 5) Broken Arm / 6) Bad Room / BONUS: Keelhaul (filmclip)
Medicines (2006)
It might just be my own distaste for ‘dance’ music of any kind talking here, but these electro rock bands tend to tickle my balls of appreciation most satisfyingly when their music cranks some guitar action and offers something deeper than dancefloor jollies. Pharaohs succeed at this right off the bat on Medicines, with the swampy blues of the intro “Smoke Signals”. It’s an instrumental that draws you in from the start with its murky atmosphere, swelling into a huge wailing guitar solo like a peat bog becoming an ocean in just over a minute. That kind of excitement and epic quality is carried through to the oceanic guitars and surging, simmering bass undercurrent of follow up “You Can Throw Dirt” and maintained throughout: from the frenetic dubby punk of “Splinter”; to the stiff electro rock of “Broken Arm”; and in the wistful epic grandeur of “Capitals” and “Bad Room”, which take the band’s sound into gorgeous, neo-psychedelic shoegazer territory.
Pharaohs sound is quite a bit like that of the Cure’s 1989 album Disintegration: chugging, melodic bass; watery, diamantine guitar; weepy vocals. And yeah, it is dark, haunting and a bit neurotic, but these kids make it their own by keeping the excitement levels up for what is ultimately some heroic and jubilant rock. It’s all grounded by the prodigious drum skills of Joel Crannitch, who pounds and skitters all over the darn place, giving machines a run for their money. Up yours, machines! Like sex with you, it’s all over in under twenty minutes, but it’ll be interesting to see if this young band can get it up for a full length album.
***
IMAGES
Medicines
(album cover used under fair dealing)
*images on this page were taken from the following Mess and Noise page:
Pharaohs: Medicines
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