RAGGED ISLAND - Born Liars (Cutthroat Records)
Go-for-the-throat guitar steams off this flat black platter like chilli off an extra-hot Tex Mex gourmet pizza, which is less than coincidental given that Born Liars are from Houston.This is Album Number Two with a third in the pipeline (the first is reviewed here) and that's an indication that things are good in Born Liars' small corner of the rock and roll universe. It's a place that's uncluttered by concessions to style or fashion, which means you won't hear them much on radio or see their fllimclips (if they bothered to make any) on TV. Cool by us.
"Ragged Island" sits somewhere between a clear-headed Heartbreakers in its tight-loose intensity, The Dragons for its skilful guitar attack and the early Groovies for its nod to rock and roll roots. Raw, rambunctious and band-mannered, "Ragged Island" reels off its 10 songs like matches off a book of them, each flaring brightly until the next one's ablaze.
There's nothing especially complicated about Born Liars' songs or delivery: Big backbeat and Jimmy Sanchez's whiny sneer over a rumbling bass and the sparring guitars of lead guy Scott McNeil and the singer. The raw, stripped back production (courtesy of Chris Ryan at a cut-price place called Dead City Sound) sounds like the aural equivalent of a fuck-you finger raised in the direction of commercial radio. Which all the best stuff is.
The opening salvo of "Little Match Girl" sets up the show with driving, serrated guitars that set to each other like cats in a hessian sack. "How It Gets" might be a love song but it's not exactly handled with care. Sounds great, though. "Spare Change" careers around like the Kinks in a car accident. Take your pick from just about any track. They're all in the same class.
Available as an LP (mine came wrapped in enough cardboard to pack a small fridge) and soon-ish as a CD on Pat Todd's Rank Outsider label, here's an album to refresh your faith and convince yourself you still care about honest rock and roll.
1/2
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