(SDZ) www.sdzrecords.org
Sure, maybe a play on Rock'n'Roll Ain't Noise Pollution, but in reality Rock'n'Roll WOULD be a big solution for this pair. Perhaps a final one would be a step too far but in terms of giving some inspiration & in turns being inspiring then it certainly would be. Sure Les Viperes have hints of early Damned about them but it just goes to prove Brian James eloquent tunesmithery, as opposed to lumpen, hackneyed Oi (from Hackney?) stuff. (Why else would he have progressed to The Lords.). Second song in is yet another telegraphed punkathon der-der-der-der riff as heard all over Sham 69's Hurry Up Harry and, say, DK's Chemical Warfare (both of which, I'd like to point out are good songs) which is kinda tiresome. And, sure, it's their prerogative to sing in their native tongue but it doesn't help bring you into the songs, especially when they're nowhere near as catchily classic as Thee Michelle Gun Elephants. It does bring home what a fucking grand beat combo they are. Fifth and final song jigs things up a bit, featuring some nimble knuckled drumming (ya, I know it's in the wrists - unless you're our own Holy Reverend of Timeless Skin Smashing Mr. WH Wigley who hits them with the force of a man inthrall to the evil powers of the darkside pummelling some poor unfortunate - but a wee bit of license is necessary). Vocals pick up on this one too, coming out like Napalm Death. Or the old drunk singing football songs at the bus stop last Monday night. The preceding song too wasn't bad, some nice echoey vocals, half a good hook that stopped mid-effect and it finished before it had started. Shame. All in all too much like an Oi tape someone once did us with The Exploited & Cockney Rejects and lots of bands on who I thank Hank that I can't remember the names of. If you like that kinda stuff you'll probably like this as it's not dissimilar.
Holy Curse fare a bit better after a few plays. First couple sound not too far away from Bad Religion (but without the strong song rush, or the lyrics) on their good stuff of No Control & another one from that time who's title I forgot. Call it lazy journalism. I call it "you look thru' my boxes of tapes for a knackered ol' thing from years back that's probably been claimed by the wayward wind anyway." Too Much Paranoia kinda freaked me out as after quite some time of wracking my brains thinking what the riff was like I
realized with not a small amount of horror that it was nothing other than The Dogs D'Amour's She Put it in Her Arm. Crikey. City Kids got their parents car & motored around the
neighborhood a bit then went back to the garage without really gunning it, like your dad taking the car for a gentle spin in the Sunday (of course) summer sun to dry it off after washing it. I Don't Dance had a nice swingy feel to it too, which hints at less of a 1D aspect to them than Les Viperes but all in all I aren't hugely enamoured of either band. Nothing caught & sparked. Sorry & all, but you can't win
'em all... Maybe I'm wrong as Radio Birdman's Deniz Tek features on Holy Curses "hello" list, but I don't think so. If I were a doctor (and you were my patient - were's that godawful June Carter when you need her) I'd tell 'em Rock'n'Roll is a Solution.
- Stu Gibson