‘Holding’ Review

‘Holding’
By Strangers
Review by trevf

Track List

1. Meursalt Blues
2. Holding
3. Howl
4. Teenagers

Action Man Records (AMR D01)
“This demo is intended as a promotional ‘taster’ of the as–yet-untitled STRANGERS full-length due later in the year” Action and records press release.

STRANGERS are a Wellington band whose sound and line up evolved throughout 2006 by gigging, and, it would seem from their site and press release, self-reflection. This Demo CD presents four songs as an indication of their sound.

So what is that sound? Aggression. Screaming/howling vocals. Thundering drums, with plenty of double bass drumming and double time backbeats. Guitars with absolutely no fat on them at all and no time wasted with solos – or time wasted at all – with the longest track clocking in at 2:45. Super tight arrangements. A taut, intense musical experience.

So, a bold musical statement, and an idiosyncratic one. Is it going to alienate an audience? Well yes. And no. It’s an aggressive sound, and you might not want to be up the front of their live shows or play it to the “olds” but in this music there is brains and musicianship. Listeners with open ears will find real rewards. The best “way in” would be the final song of this CD, ‘Teenagers’ which is clearly the standout track.

Extra credit in three areas:

1) A wonderfully presented CD.
2) Obviously an “organic” sound. Which is intended to mean that the creative process has plainly been musicians playing together to develop it …. One doubts very much if much editing, overdubs or Pro Tools shenanigans have gone on here.
3) The lyrics, reproduced here on the CD cover, are at times extraordinary (best example? Track two ‘Holding’) It is a shame though – and this is a criticism – that the needs of the sound mean that the lyrics are hard to get without having them in front of you to read. This is especially true when the lyrics are actually worth hearing.

Contact
www.actionmanrecords.com
www.strangersknow.com