That Fucking Tank
Tanknology

A Norman Records recommendation (3rd July 2009)

This record left our Brett feeling ecstatic.

That Fucking Tank are a highly thrilling live proposition who can often be spotted around these Yorkshire parts and beyond blasting their danceably rhythmic mathy stadium rock into unsuspecting ears. The Day of Death by Bono Adrenaline Shock demonstrated that a couple of years back and the excellent Tanknology follows it up more than ably. A classic two-piece in your Ruins/Lightning Bolt sort of vein, they do the whole noise rock thing with plenty of distorted low-end grooves, (un)healthy doses of classic rock and plenty of good humour (check the titles - 'Bruce Springstonehenge', 'Steven Hawkwind', 'Keanu Reef', 'John Faheyshanu' etc.). Proper mint shit and surely their very own Guitar Hero edition awaits? Comes in an impeccably packaged and arted digipak on Gringo!

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Sound clips for Tanknology

It's Your Letters Play

Keanu Reef Play

Mr Blood Play

John Faheyshanu Play

Dave Grolsch Play

Nancy Mustaine Play

Evan Dido Play

Bruce Springstonehenge Play

Ludwig II Of Bavaria Play

Stephen Hawkwind Play

What their label says...

That Fucking Tank is Andy Abbott and James Islip. They have been playing music together since pre-teenhood when they met at school in 1991. Tank was formed in Leeds as a one-off performance utilising some novelty equipment - a baritone guitar tuned to play bass and guitar lines simultaneously through two amps, and a minimal drum set – which kept on going. Live performances once relied on masks, few clothes, lots of sweat and extreme volume as a mediator for the ‘minimal riff disco’ pumped out by the duo. This era, captured on releases through Jealous Records (the e.p ‘A Document of the First Set’ and 2006’s ‘Day of Death by Bono Adrenalin Shock’), took Andy and James all over Europe playing established festivals like Sant Feliu, BBC Radio One Maida Vale sessions, and touring with and supporting peers from the UK, Europe and the USA including Hella, Whitehouse, Foals, US Maple, The Fucking Champs, Vialka, Unsane, Lungfish, Melt Banana, and Don Caballero to name a few. ‘Tanknology’ is their second full-length album and brings together tracks written and performed live over the last two years. In this time That Fucking Tank’s sound has matured from its minimal math-rock beginnings to incorporate more of the duo’s classic rock, prog, and early techno influences, whilst staying true to the stripped-down equipment that instigated the band. Traces of Hawkwind, ESG, and Hendrix can be picked out amongst the more contemporary reference points like Don Caballero or The Fucking Champs, as well as the appearance of pop hooks and song structures that Andy and James only half-jokingly refer to as sounding like The Lemonheads, Foo Fighters and Reef. The album even features a homage to ‘Dancing in the Dark’ with ‘Brucespringstonehenge’. Years of touring has instilled the duo with confidence, now happy to blast out melodies amongst the riffs and grooves that have made their name, and in the process carving out a more distinctive and unique sound that has separated them their peers. Appearances at Leeds and Reading festivals in 2008 demonstrated an ability to connect with larger audiences outside of the avant-rock or underground music scene despite the ‘difficult’ nature of the purely instrumental, very loud and often angular music. Since its conception Andy and James have used That Fucking Tank as a vehicle to practice and endorse the DIY ethos; booking their own tours, and playing in nearly every conceivable city and backwater in the UK whilst holding down jobs and extra-musical commitments. Half of ‘Tanknology’ is recorded by the band themselves using small rehearsal spaces and bedrooms with four of the leading tracks recorded in Liverpool by long-term recording partner Rob Whiteley in a day-long session. ‘Tanknology’ is, as such, a more accessible and ‘colourful’ record than the pair’s previous output but one that embodies the integrity, self-assuredness and love of Springsteen that comes with age and has you involuntarily shouting ‘Alright now!’ like Reef’s Gary Stringer throughout.

Tracks : 1 It's Your Letters 00:12 2 Keanu Reef 06:04 3 Mr Blood 05:07 4 John Faheyshanu 01:02 5 Dave Grolsch 04:58 6 Nancy Mustaine 00:16 7 Evan Dido 02:28 8 Bruce Springstonehenge 02:10 9 Ludwig Ii Of Bavaria 04:22 10 Stephen Hawkwind 08:12

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