False Advertising - 'Brainfreeze' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. Influenza

2. You Said

3. Uncomfortable

4. We've Heard This All Before

5. Reading It Wrong

6. You Weren't In My Dream

7. You Won't Feel Love

8. Personal Gain

9. At The Top

10. Wasted Days

11. So Long

Long live Indie Rock!!! No, I haven’t taken on the mantle of an alternative Ronnie James Dio, I’m just blown away by the debut album from this early 90s obsessed 3 piece. I hear the cry of the Sebadoh, the flutter of Zu Zu’s Petals, the rumble of Belly and the a hint of Dischord (the Washington record label, fact checkers!). Yes, this band is really worth it’s (Veruca) Salt.

Ok, so you get the picture. - a heavily Alt-Americana influenced band, but hey, they’re British, making the kind of music British bands weren’t allowed to in the slacker heyday - we travelled from Manchester to Britpop central with no in between. This is even more surprising when you learn that one of the members of the band is a relation of the lead singer of Inspiral Carpets - but they were the coolest (as f**k), so that’s OK!

Well, what do you get for your money? Distorted bass, slacker drums, angular guitars, actual melody singing male and female vocals and 10 great tunes. There is not a weak moment on this album. They manage to piss about just enough to keep it feeling lofi but the production is way too clever to stray into Guided By Voices territory. Stand out tracks for me are ‘Uncomfortable’ - the closest the band gets to writing a radio-ready hit and the oddly timed, oddly tuneful, ‘Personal Gain’ - which made me feel very reminiscent for Jacob’s Mouse.

Overall, a great Indie monster in the making and definitely in the running for my album of the year (hey, that’s an important accolade I don’t give away that easy!!). The only question is which year 2019 or 1992? What goes around comes around and this little retrospective album gives me hope for the future!!

Long live Indie rock!!!