HOME

REVIEWS

- RSS Feed

SoundsXP Presents

tba

On Our iPod

Weird Dreams - Choreography (album)

Crocodiles - Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9) 7”

The Hairs - I’ve Been Working Out 7”

King Creosote and Jon Hopkins - Third Swan single

Cate Le Bon - Cyrk (album)

Tashaki Miyaki - sings the Everly Brothers 7”

Antony Harding - The Birds Sing Goodnight To You And Me (album)

Veronica Falls - My Heart Beats 7”

Latest Forum Posts

Album Review

Artery
Civilisation Twinspeed

Article written by Matt H - Nov 8, 2011

Artery - did anyone tell them Threads wasn't real?

Not being a native Sheffielder, nor indeed old enough to be out of primary school when the 80s began, Artery weren't a familiar name. So their first album in the best part of 30 years doesn't trip any nostalgic switches. It doesn't have to.

Yes, you can tick off things familiar from the very early 80s, sinister bass, bleak keyboards and stabbing, chiming guitars. You could name better known bands they bring to mind, but that would probably do a disservice to one that once stood alongside them. In any case they're clearly not harking back, they're just picking up exactly where they left off. Which makes sense - they sounded like that back then 'cos it sounded good and there's no reason it shouldn't now.

If there is an aspect that sounds at all old-fashioned, it's that they've also picked up where they left off in being totally unpolluted by knowingness and irony. Their earnest, portentous declamations are unashamed and entirely admirable, reminding you of a time when people felt they could make a difference.

Because they aren't processing things through the accumulated interpretations of three decades, because they're tapping into what drove them in the first place, it means that Artery sound fresher and more vital than many a new band doing something similar. And are really rather excellent.

LONDON SORTS!!! Artery are doing a launch gig for the album at the Lexington on 27 November - go on, you know it makes sense:
http://t.co/nWgdNEWb

Links:
http://www.arteryband.com/ALBUM%20PREVIEW.html
http://www.facebook.com/pages/ARTERY/96186409004?ref=nf&sk=wall