“Second verse, same as the first”. Not a bad mantra, and one Manchester’s Spring King seem to be using to great effect on their debut album ‘Tell Me If You Like To’.
These boys really know their way round a shouty chorus, yet they balance them so well with just the right amount of Ramones belligerence without completely sacrificing rhythm in favour of attitude. ‘Detroit‘ is an exuberant, thrusting three minutes that doesn’t stop for breath. It’s blistering, not in the full thrash of Minor Threat or Black Flag (although it’s kindred in purpose), but in the incessant, almost unceasing drive of the aforementioned Ramones. And with their own monotone style of vocals on display throughout, they truly are Manchester’s answer to the leather-clad, Queens’ Blitzkrieg.
But they’re no one trick ponies. There’s an awful lot of brilliance and ingenuity on display throughout. ‘Take Me Away‘ offers all Spring King with a taste of something familiar, although you can’t completely put your finger on what. It simultaneously sounds a bit like Madness, The Specials and The Coral while sounding absolutely nothing like any of them.
Then tracks like ‘Who Are You‘ storm the barricades like others but again go their own way. No-one sees the sax solo coming, and probably wouldn’t have wanted it if asked, but it turns out no-one knows what they’re talking about as it’s brilliant. It brings the wonderfully unhinged flavour of The Stooges thunderous ‘Funhouse‘, and that’s not a easy spirit to conjure, while the title track even has hints of ‘God Show Me Magic‘ by Super Furry Animals.
The standout moment is ‘Rectifier‘, a brilliant single and just as brilliant an album track. It’s poundingly hypnotic and a huge call to arms. It’s inciting some kind of action, and action is what it’s full of. This is true throughout. The brilliance of the album is its rhythm; everything is centered around a truly pulsating, rhythmical bass sound and drums. Their rumble drives track after track and propels the music onwards. It’s unstoppable.
This, coupled with their ear for a pop-inclined chorus, means many of the songs come off sounding like some kind of ‘Chelsea Dagger‘ with balls and credibility. They’ve taken The Fratellis and the Kaiser Chiefs and subverted them by writing songs with welcoming urgency while never needing to sound pointlessly populist or buried in production sheen. Each track sounds and feels organic, alive, angry and yet full of passion and most importantly joy. Spring King sound like they are having the time of their lives. Each song, regardless of topic, feels like an affirmation of some belief or feeling.
At times it’s frenzied and chaotic, but it’s never anything less than thrilling. This isn’t some shallow attempt at excitement by merely playing loud and fast, or some contrived attempt at excitement by latching on to something already happening. Instead this is the sound of four people, a sound which you know they could only make together. And knowing that it comes from this unique blend of personalities and passions only makes it more special.
‘Tell Me If You Like To‘ is something bottled that has now been unleashed. This isn’t bland, generic indie, electro, pop or whatever. It isn’t even punk (although it makes some of the right noises), it is simply the sound of Spring King.
And there are only a handful of bands that only sound like themselves.
