Scuzzy punky rock from Mach Schau.
With support shows for The Arctic Monkeys and Babyshambles behind them already, Southamptons Mach Schau can say they've played with some of the biggest names in the past years British tabloids but their 'Necessary Evils' demo is a sound of a band trying to stand on their own two feet.
The three songs here all battle for attention and all come across as scratchy and raw punk songs, the vocals bellow and holler and the tempo is quite furious at times. No doubt their live experiences feed into their recording process as the feeling that these songs would excel in front of an audience is quite obvious.
'Number 28' stands apart due its quieter middle section, allowing the vocals to relax and the guitarists to breathe and the shade provided here is a good break from the raucous edge going on around it.
'Vicious Circles' rounds off the songs and is even lower in the mix but even the murkiness can't take away from the guitar riff that necks its way around the song and this sound level, allows John Macisaac's vocals to be heard properly for the first time and the track blends punk with a touch of early 80s UK ska in creating a pleasing song but perhaps not one that will stick in the mind for too long.
Given that Mach Schau have mixed with some serious company, these three songs were never going to be enough o justify it all but there are enough glimmers and possibilities to suggest that more may be available from these lads.