Shin Jin Rue
It requires a certain art for a band to be able to pull of sounding really out of tune without being booed off stage. Shin Jin Rui, a three piece from Newcastle have mastered this art and use clashing guitar chords and wailing vocals aplenty on their 'Roadside Attraction' EP with savagely good results.
'Expletive Conquest' definitely stands out as the most catchy and 'user friendly' tune on the EP with a sing along chorus but just enough obscurity in the dissonant guitar solo to keep the mainstream indie fans from devouring it.
'London Stinks' has a very retro proto punk feel about it, from the guitar riff to the deadpan spoken lyrics. It would definitely belong in the 'cool as fuck' category of your local independent record shop but it pays homage to so many influences like The Velvet Underground and Modern Lovers that you can't help thinking you've heard it before.
Other influences cited by the band are as diverse The Flaming Lips, Bruce Springsteen, The Fall and Elvis. You can even hear a bit of Kings of Leon in the title track 'Roadside Attraction' and 'Out on Safari' has the raw, grungy edge of Nirvana unplugged.
Having gained airplay from BBC Newcastle and XFM, this second release shows much more direction than their debut 'Use your youth' and is definitely worth a listen if a raw, retro ambush on your ears is what you want.