Kill Twee Pop!, by Sarandon (CD on Slumberland)

A Norman Records recommendation (17th April 2008)

Description:	CD on Slumberland	UK ORDERS OVER £50 SHIP FREE!
Format:	CD
Label:	Slumberland
Price:	£9.49
Catalogue number:	SLT77CD
Availability:	despatched in 2-5 working days (on average!!)

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What we say

Rating: ecstatic This record left our BRIAN D feeling ecstatic.

Sarandon are back with their first official CD album on Slumberland. In case you've just joined us, this incredibly savvy 3 piece are the main torchbearers for a sound that alledgedly died in 1988 with the last EP from Death by Milkfloat. Just dozens of incredibly taut, caustic & brief agit pop ditties yelled out by a man named after a brand of wax crayon, with shards of caustic rapid fire guitar abuse that makes Bogshed sound like Sunn 0))) and some of the most primal, thrilling tub thumping heard in years. Another couople of bands who are possibly a huge influence are Stump, Big Flame, Dawson & Fire Engines. But there's a vitality & freshness here. Jerky 'n' catchy as hell, they're also in rude health on 'Kill Twee Pop!', a chunky, primitive pop record for the kind of person who feeels indie died with John peel (which sometimes I think it may have done judging by some of the gash released these days!) So brilliantly excecuted, I'd be chasing this for AOTW had we not fallen in love with the Harmony Korine soundtrack. So if you fancy some no frills old skool delights, check this great album, on the aforementioned legendary US imprint!

What the label says:

Since their formation by guitarist Crayola in 2003, Sarandon has been on a mission to save indie from wetness, knee-jerk twee posturing, and careless cardigan wearing. This potent group of post-punk tacticians takes its cues from the rough angularity beloved by bands on labels like Ron Johnson and Slampt, and Sarandon is the proud parent of a string of five 7-inch EPs (and one compilation thereof) fairly bursting with short, sharp tunes, wiry riff-mad guitars, spastic drumming, and terse-yet-clever lyrics. Trimming all musical and lyrical fat, Sarandon cram more ideas and passion into 1:30 than many bands do across a whole record. Some points of comparison include Big Flame, The Minutemen, Bogshed, Fire Engines, and The Fall, and though Sarandon share musical DNA with those groups, they’ve forged their own path and unique sound. Crayola marries naggingly catchy tunes to corruscating blasts of guitar mayhem, combining the punchy, driving tunes with surprisingly memorable melodies and smart lyrics. It’s pop, but possibly the angriest and most aggressive pop ever heard. Kill Twee Pop! is the first fruit of a line-up consisting of Crayola, Tom Greenhalgh on drums, and ex-Big Flame/Great Leap Forward legend Alan Brown on bass. Brown and Greenhalgh are an incredibly tight and powerful rhythm section, providing Crayola with such a sure foundation that he’s now letting the songs stretch out a bit—one tune even breaking the three-minute barrier—which is fitting as this is the first proper Sarandon album, and it shows them at their itchy, spiky, angular, aggressive, enthusiastic best. From the chugging “Welcometo the blues-by-way-of-The Birthday Party “The Completist’s Libraryto the insanely catchy “Mike’s Dollarand the croon-tastic “The Discotheque Is My Lover,this album is packed with great tunes, recalling the best of ’80s post-punk and bringing it bang up-to-date with passion, humor and wit. Kill Twee Pop! is a call-to-arms for those tired of paint-by-the-numbers indie, a ration of passion in these cynical times, an antidote to your massive haircut, a soundtrack for your next dance party, an updated cubist pop manifesto.