The Shitty Limits - Beware The Limits (La Vida Es Un Mus/ Boss Tunage)
4/5
By: Steve Rose
Bored of the USA? Me too. I'm tired of American bands coming over here, being hailed as the second coming, only to dissipate, as the hype machine moves on. What are we doing anyway, waiting for the next big thing to come across the Atlantic when we have a f*ckload of great UK bands that never get the praise they deserve!
ailing from Reading, Berkshire, The Shitty Limits are one of those aforementioned awesome British acts (if not the pinnacle of), who after a slew of quickly and cheaply recorded seven inches (five self funded, self pressed and self packaged pieces of wax), which pretty much sold out before they came out, take time out from their day jobs, putting up and putting on bands, and telling the NME to "f*ck off", to write and record their first full length, aptly titled Beware the Limits.
From the twitchy, brevity of opener 'Transitions' to the dying sustain of uncouthly enunciated closing track 'Beware The Limits', The Shitty Limits, give us a towering post-punk masterpiece. To a degree this record uses the lexicon and vernacular language of post-punk and power pop rather than churlish garage punk and hardcore, generally associated with these southern misfits.
The guitars are thin, clean and clanky, the drums rigid and tight, with angular basslines, tongue in cheek lyrics, and immaculate vocal delivery - through the lot the 'Limits give us an education in the history of progressive punk rock. Taking time for a trip down memory lane to give kudos to Wire, The Fall and Public Image Limited. Occasional hints of later day Black Flag or The Melvins creep into the listeners periphery, but are delicately juxtaposed by The B52's and The Shivvers style pop sensibilities.
Beware the 'Limits', who trade in melody, severity and longevity, their new record being both their simplest and most complex work to date. Support your local punk scene go buy it now (from www.lavidaesunmus.com or www.bosstuneage.com). It's better than Blur!
Artists in this article: The Shitty Limits
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