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Album Review

Times New Viking
Born Again Revisited Matador Records

Article written by Ged M - Oct 30, 2009

Times New Viking: Born Again Revisited

Matador's claim that the band had promised "25% higher fidelity" isn't really borne out by the scratchy lo-fi but still vitally energised recordings on this, TNV’s fourth album (following two on Siltbreeze and Rip It Up, their first for Matador). According to the press release, the masters were delivered on VHS tape – for Rip It Up, on cassette – and from the level of hiss it sounds like one that has been used to re-record every episode of Friends. But the music is more sophisticated than the crude descriptions of “shitcore” that attach to the band; they purposely lower the fi and surround the music’s melodic pop core with layers of mud and fuzz.

Although the vocals are pretty indecipherable apart from Beth Murphy’s on ‘Those Days’, you’re constantly reminded that there’s a tune in there, from the choppy rhythms of ‘Something More’ to the scratch-pop of ‘City On Drugs’. The only influence that the band acknowledges on their Myspace page is The Shaggs but I hear a punky pop reminiscent of Subway Sect while the fantastic cheap sounding organ on ‘Half Day In Hell’ sounds like an early version of the Fall with its Fall-like title to match. On first introduction, it feels like you’re hearing the music through a heavy head cold but persevere and it starts to spit out diamonds.

Links:
http://www.matadorrecords.com/times_new_viking/
http://www.myspace.com/timesnewviking