aaamusic | On 20, Nov 2011

I was a bit confused in doing some research for this review of The Kickliner’s new self-titled (not untitled?) EP, as there already seemed to have been a self-titled EP released by a different band of the same name…

Anyway, this band are a four-piece from Sheffield, who only formed about a year ago. They make guitar-based indie rock music that sounds like what most guitar-based indie rock you’ve heard. The guitar parts are jangly and slightly distorted, in the same way as The Strokes and everyone who came after them. The basslines are nice and grumbly, and the drums suitably simplistic, in a garage-punk sort of way. The vocals, however, aren’t going to please all indie fans. They aren’t mixed very high, and sound a little drowned out by the instruments. Also, they’re just not very tuneful. That being said, they do display a fitting amount of attitude, which is always a plus for this kind of music.

‘Accident or Design’ has a slight surf-rock undertone, similar to recent Arctic Monkeys’ offerings, with a decent mini-solo – and the distorted bass, gang vocals and guitar lines make ballad ‘Romance Is Ruined’ the definite higlight (despite being very, very Foals-esque). However, the general structures, melodies, and riffs are just too ordinary to make The Kickliner particularly memorable.

Of course, this is very early in their career, and that (and that alone) makes this an acceptable release. Let’s hope for better production, and better tunes, next time round!

 

Clive Rozario