You’re tired of what you’ve been listening to lately aren’t you? I know,
because it happens to me every two days or so. I’ve been seeing this
particular album in shops for the past three months, so I grabbed it and
plopped it on. No, they aren’t the band doing that cool theme song to The
Sopranos with Tony driving home (that’s A3).
‘A’ are actually an English (Suffolk) kitchen-sink-rock quintet with three brothers, and a penchant for
happy, energetic live shows free of moping, or being “epic” through boring,
stoned jamming, or making each of your songs at least nine minutes long so
you can ponder the meaning of your belly-button while you wait for the
ecstasy to take effect.
The songs here are concise, tight pop ditties that
are extreeemely memorable. This is number two (A2?), and they’re using the
traditional vocals/guitars/bass/keyboards/drums mixture with samples and
loops pinging from one speaker to the other, and great, hooky, sing-along
Beatle-esque songwriting and vocal harmonies not heard since
Lennon/McCartney or Beach Boys perfected them.
Three-fifths of ‘A’ sing
(quite well too), so that helps.
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While lead vocalist Jason Perry handles the
main part of the chorus, sibling Giles Perry or Daniel P. Carter usually
provides a Plan B sub-chorus, as the third voice comes in with scatterings
of rebuttal counterpoints.
This feisty casserole of rawk sounds B-I-G
because the production (recorded in Belgium by Al Clay) is so
three-dimensional, and the performances are inspired. Quick comparisons to
The Beastie Boys are warranted, but I hear a distinct Superdrag/Doughboys
edge in there as well. I love this cd, even if ‘A’ wishes they were American
Snowboarders, and once toured with the Bloodhound Gang. Standout songs: If
It Ain’t Broke Fix It Anyway, For Starters, Jason’s Addiction (haha), and
Monkey Kong.
by Jason Thornberry, CanEHdian.com 2000
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