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Album Review

Chin of Britain
The Weasel Is At The Bridge Waltztime Records

Article written by Ged M - Aug 30, 2016

The second album by Chin Keeler since his eponymous debut in 2013, this has a puzzling title, a disturbing cover photo and an addictive groove fleshed out by wall-of-sound guitar pop. The man once of Quickspace and Dark Captain, to name but two of his old bands, now combines elements of Beefheart, Can, Moon Duo, My Bloody Valentine and Sly & The Family Stone into a cascade of melodic noise and twisty rhythms that holds you spellbound. Afrobeat, avant garde, funk, post-punk and 90s guitar rock are all represented in the DNA of The Weasel…

On ‘Last Seen Alive’, as befits the drummer he’s been, Chin really gets his groove on, mixing a krautrock metronymic beat with funky basslines and some electronic dance music tricks. ‘Until The Sun Goes Down’ has a propulsive rhythm and grinding guitars but a killer melody too, like the ghost of MBV or early Teenage Fanclub, while the uber-rhythmic ‘DWMT’ piles on the guitars. And by way of contrast, ‘Physiology’ is quiet, fluttering electronica and ‘We Are New Here’ is sinuous psych-pop, while ‘It’s Too Late’ closes the album with an epic post-rock tune, like a psychedelic guitar opera, soaring and growing until it supernovas.

It’s widescreen in its influences, monumental in its sound, impressive for the way that Chin wrote, played and recorded every note. It has a beat like fury, guitars that chime and crash as required, and a classic funky backbone. There might be lots going on but the weird-pop visions summoned by those contrasting sounds make perfect pop sense.

Links:
https://chinofbritain.bandcamp.com/
http://www.waltztimerecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Chin-of-Britain-152721121604570/