The Sheffield Scenester

During our interview with Pistola kicks we were given a CD with their first newly recorded material, since Rich left the group and so as we found out when we saw them down at The Leadmill, Joe, Jamie and Ed seemed to have formed quite a tight group. So with Joe taking the helm on vocals as well as guitar how would this new recording shape up?

Opening with the track ‘3:15’, you instantly recognise that certain sound which has become the trademark calling card for any Pistola Kicks fan. Whilst it is indie based it doesn’t have that raw pitched guitar on it that came to prominence as soon as Arctic Monkeys hit the big time. This is a much more polished sound with a deeper resonance thanks in part to Jamie’s bass and Ed’s drums belting out full steam ahead while Joe skids across with some delectable riffs. Having seen them live every time I hear their music, all I envision is Jamie throwing himself about the stage with complete abandon....this spectacle finally made me understand the phrase, ‘Cat on a hot tin roof!’ This is the sound that comes through on this, the opening track, a highly energized and danceable track, with a catchy driving beat that stubbornly refuses to take so much as a single breath as it pummels its way forward!

‘A Button Like No Other’ follows that and to its credit this one opens, well to be honest nearly half the song is taken up, with a delicate tinkling on some kind of xylophone, though don’t quote me on that, but it’s definitely tinkling! Over this Joe, in a world weary voice, recounts the fact that he has discovered a button, a button that he didn’t want to find and now he no longer needs anyone because he has this button. The ‘button’ in question seems to be the trigger point for his descent into a spiralling madness and this is echoed in the climax of the song. Musically the whole song dives into a whirling maelstrom of manic chords with guitar, drums and bass battling it out amongst themselves while Joe’s vocals continue to recount his psychotic and depressive descent into madness! It may not be bed time reading but musically I love it, especially the xylophone fade out at the end!

To finish off this collection is ‘Head In The Sand’, a track that has a very Muse inspired feel to it, in other words what I’d classify as an arena sound. The sound feels immense and epic in its structure and execution; if this is the future of Pistola Kicks then I for one congratulate them on a job well done. Joe does more than rise to the challenge vocally as he drags his larynx to hell and back just to keep up with the instrumentation on show here. My only criticism of this track is that it is too short, way too short but being a lover of overindulgent epic metal tracks, I can’t hold that against them really!

An excellent collection of three solid tracks that more than stand on their own. It seems that as a threesome they can forge ahead quite happily and with this standard of music, successfully, as well!