The Icarus Line - Black Lives At The Golden Coast

V2

The Icarus Line have been missing presumed drugged out of their minds for the three years since the release of their awesome second album ‘Penance Soiree’, a record that showed there was just as much Jesus And Mary Chain as Jesus Lizard in their record collection. They seem to have swallowed the Creation catalogue whole in the meantime, with much of this record composed of pedestrian boogie rock that would make Bobby Gillespie proud. Agreeable as it is, it pales in comparison to the scorching intensity of their early work. This is a different band though, guitarist Aaron North and bassist Don Devore having jumped ship in the interim. The Icarus Line work best when they stretch things, ‘Slayer’ is euphoric jangle pop worthy of The Stone Roses while ‘Amber Alert’ explodes from murky industrial dub into furious rolls of psyche noise. The Icarus Line are still a good band, they just need to have the confidence to be themselves.

Words_James McDonald

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

DOWNLOAD: ‘Slayer’ ‘Amber Alert’
FOR FANS OF: The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Stone Roses, Dead Meadow

Issue #52 - Very Bro-some

Featuring Panama Kings, ASIWYFA, an investigation into DIY touring, details of what over 25 of the finest NI bands are up to in 2009 and much more.