An answering message opens this
record, informing us to avoid ‘clever analysis, music is for listening to, not writing about it, why don’t you cut your hair, go out and get a real job?’ (Like, thanks, dad.) Well, here’s the gut review: Its shit! Reminding of euro-kids desperate to be So-Cal, all skateboards and baggy shorts, the skinned knees of suburbia. But, then, on Further Analysis, those vocal traits are probably down to their Finnish-accents. And the wailing isn’t that over-emotive bullshit of modern Cali punk, either. Instead, the guitar-drum duo’s acoustic-punk breezes by with the exuberance of Deily-era Lemonheads, with the clear potential to similarly develop. A handful of songs are fantastic, melodic, tumbles with hints of The Replacements in their small-town yearnings; the claustrophobically titled ‘Walls And Bars’ finding them gleefully expounding: ‘I’m smart, I like to sing about the small things / I’m poor, I like to sing about the rich folk.’ Once they’ve traded the mere aesthetic of their dreams for the reality of its pursuit (the record’s called ‘War Is Noise’ for fucks sake) they’ll really start making some evocative, exciting music. All in all, the kid’s are alright. Now I’m off to the barbers…
‘Swinging Party’ is originally from seminal punk band The Replacements. The melancholic, swirling electro beats of this cover are brought to life again by the shady-ly mysterious The Kindness. And the man thought to be behind The Kindness is a certain Mr Adam Bainbridge, who flits between London and Berlin for his devout musical missions. The Kindness’ sound is very much like fellow Berlin indie-electro smoozers The Whitest Boy Alive, baring many similar traits: the slick lounge electro that brought them to the attention of James Murphy who was only more than happy for them to adorn his club nights. The edginess may have been discarded from the original but, The Kindness haven’t been found submissive and delivered a hypnotic series of loops that lull you into a chilled atmosphere. If this is come-down music, B-side ‘Gee Up’ does exactly what it insists, with a little kick up the rear. This, a more funkier portrayal of The Kindness’ sensibilities yet not wrenching itself from its stripped down ethics. This minimalist effort may not entice the masses into a debauched ‘Swinging Party’ but it may comfort us in times of post-night blues. It does show a little Kindness when we‘re tender.
