Modern Alarms - You Must've Known EP - review

Modern Alarms - You Must've Known EP

DL 

Available now

This debut release from Modern Alarms backs up the hype that's been building around them by people in the know in Manchester and the surrounding area.



They're a four-piece featuring Dominic Barber on vocals, David Fraser on lead guitar, Colm Feeley on bass and Andy Gledhill on drums.

Plight Of Blighty starts with a driving drum beat and guitars and is a social comment on the state of the UK that shows an observational side to their lyrics that contrasts with the raw energy of the music. Lyrics talk about the decay of society, the rise of violence and the dole / drug culture - “we've lost all the have-a-go heroes, it's simply not worth the fight, you'll not even get a thank you, so why even risk the knife?” And as they manage to do that in sub-three minutes it's a perfect kick off to the EP.

Voodoo Dancing Monkey Man is about an acquaintance who's hooked on “chemicals, decibels, flashing lights”. Again, it's far more assured than you'd expect from a band of such tender years whilst maintaining that edge and frisson of excitement of a band starting up and thinking they can take on the world.

S.O.B starts with tribal drums before spiky guitars kick in to a background of a police siren. It's part put-down, part recognition of someone they know “You're an ignorant, arrogant son of a bitch. We may not look or dress the same, but I see myself in you.”

For a first release, it's a great piece of work which delivers on the promises of snatched soundcloud and myspace tracks. It transfers the chaos of their live shows to record and paints a picture of where they are as a band. Go and buy it from Amazon or iTunes - it's digital only at present sadly.