Thrillingly Exciting Confusement
Conceived with the aim of winning of their high school’s battle of the bands competition, Operator Please started life in a guise that would have had Walt Disney stampeding to make their story into a movie. It all seems very squeaky clean, pre-teen pop that would have parents smiling insanely with glee but there is so much more to the Australian five piece then their humble beginnings would suggest. Becoming somewhat of a cult band, the latest Brisbane exports have managed to dazzle many with their fiery energetic live shows that thrash, snarl and stomp with a pop sheen but can this transcend to their debut, ‘Yes Yes Vindictive’ or is more a case of ‘Yes, Yes … alright’?
Staggering somewhat out of the starting blocks, ‘Yes Yes Vindictive’ struggles at first to capture the band’s vivacious vibrancy as ‘Zero Zero’ whirls merrily along but just fails to ignite with the lack of the band’s usual sparkle to excite. That is until ‘Get What You Want’ roars onto the scene with Amanadah Wilkinson’s shouty vocals exuding confidence as the track thumps and thrashes frantically, culminating in a throat aching squeal from Wilkinson. With things back on track the Australian indie-electro-poppers inject a gallon load of fun with the incomprehensible nonsense of ‘Just A Song About Ping Pong’ as Wilkinson’s voice veers into the helium inhaling territory and the band explode into a frantically weird and wonderful pop addled maze. A song funnily enough about ping pong, it is this track that truly captures the spirit of the band, highlighting their youthful exuberance that radiates from every stupidly fun filled line of nonsense that Wilkinson appears to half scream, half shout out with care free confidence yelping madly about what else but ping pong and of course beef jerky! Idiotically charged with nonsense and draped around hand claps and even a take on the Ace Of Spades guitar riff, ‘Just A Song About Ping Pong’ intoxicates as it expels energy by the bucket load before ‘Cringe’ thrashes in with a sense of mischievous and bold attitude as Wilkinson comes across all rock chick.
From the ballsy confidence of a rock chick to the purring insecurity of a love sick girl, Wilkinson takes on many personas throughout ‘Yes Yes Vindictive’ that makes the album continually feel fresh. ‘Two For My Seconds’ finds the young singer sounding like Gwen Stefani as the band opt for a laid back love song that breezes through light and cheery before a punk blast snaps out towards the end, upping the tempo but still retaining the heartfelt sentimentality. Simply entrancing.
Screeching and shouty one minute, calm and seductive the next, ‘Yes Yes Vindictive’ is a album that changes at every corner but continually manages to project a feeling of youthful vitality that is addictively exciting. Sure, it may not capture the intensely stimulating thrill of their live shows but ‘Yes Yes Vindictive’ will certainly fill the gap before their next attack.