Smells like....
When you are compared to greatness and parallels are made towards yourself and it, you will either appear to be stealing quite liberally from the handbook or perhaps, on the flip side; you may have a touch of the great about you too.
Bury St. Edmunds, Ten City Nation, have indeed been liberally tarred with the brush of greatness, having been compared to the Bleach era, Nirvana • in fact every press piece about them bands around the name with such wild abandon, you can’t help but wonder what the reviews are based on • an album that is nearly 20 years old, or the debut album of a UK band. In any case, sounding like early Nirvana has never done anyone any favours, well apart from Nirvana.
Despite reportage to the contrary, this debut doesn’t have the visceral intensity or the same emotional impact of Bleach, but it does have some shining moments where you can see possible faint connections, but also see a band who surpasses lazy compassions and rises up over them. Perhaps it is because of the grunge tainted rock sound that the band employ on some tracks hasn’t been in currency as such over the last fifteen years which attracts such comparisons but there is far more on display on this debut.
‘Wolves at the Window’ is a beautiful exercise in music; downbeat but not overly maudlin it effortlessly meanders into a subtle conclusion • never rising to a showy climax it perfectly reflects the lyrical content of the song. Whilst ‘Skeletons’ is alive with vibrancy; with peppered with harmonies and crashing drum beats with its rallying call of “I’m not giving up”, its “Everyone’s a Tourist” that really impresses with its thoughtful lyricism and ethereal tones inter-weaving amongst vocals and rising up almost supernaturally from the music, but this time to a dizzying climax and then out to another un-showy and well timed conclusion.
Although not massively original • neither musically or lyrically - is this still an accomplished effort and is somewhat refreshing to hear in the current music climate. As this album is available for free download from the band’s website, this is definitely worth a listen.