THE BORING

So with recommendations from a much esteemed source I ventured into an album by a band I’ve ignored because I thought they’d sound too folky and twee for me as many artists seem to do at the moment (I wasn’t going to mention how much I hate Joanna Newsom’s voice, but I couldn’t help it). Sons & Daughters’ Repulsion Box started off well enough, it was shouty and aggressive and if there were any fiddles, accordions or hurdy gurdies I couldn’t damn well hear them, thank Christ. But I was fast approaching my limits, less than midway through my album marathon I felt myself falter – those nice rock-sounding noises started to sound suspiciously like ‘celtic rock’ noises, like ‘whoops’ and ‘yeearrrs’. I should have stopped there put up with whatever crap Sunday afternoon TV could have thrown at me (or watched a beloved episode of Robin of Sherwood), but I thought I had the solution. The Horrorpops album Hell Yeah suggested two minute punk-based pop blasts that would re-new my flagging aural capabilities. It lasted for two songs, before the singer decided that she wanted to be Gwen Stefani. And to think I’d almost fallen for The Misfits comparison. I managed to get to track 6. In rapid retreat I sought familiar territory in the shape of Broadcast’s Tender Buttons. Maybe I’m alone in preferring The Noise Made by People to their subsequent material, but Tender Buttons sounded way too much like Ha Ha Sound to me – cold, detached, a bit scary. I needed a warm bosom to comfort me in my 45 minutes of need and this just wasn’t it.