Pre - Hope Freaks (Skingraft Records)
4/5
By: Steve Rose
I've never wanted to see a band who can replicate a record, or set, seven times a week, it just doesn't appeal to me. I have always been under the impression that all the best bands should be more fluid, in that every time you see them play it is almost entirely different - incomparably different even. My reasoning for this probably comes from reports of all the bands I've always wanted to see but been too young for, such as The Replacements, Wipers, Black Flag, etc all being inextricably linked to radical personality swings, and constantly changing their essence.
Noise-punks Pre are one of these bands. Aside from the fact that they sometimes play with two bassists, every time I see them play it is completely different. Sometimes impeccably tight, heavy and metallic, sometimes sloppy, playful and post punk, yet always completely unpredictable.
On top of this they are the only UK band on US based noise label Skingraft (home of Melt Banana, Aids Wolf, etc), and are pretty much a mythical creature on these shores, eschewing shows outside of London, for American tours.
'Hope Freaks', is the follow up to their itchy, erratic debut 'Epic Fits', and has been recorded by indie legend Steve Albini in Chigago, and Mastered by the weird Weasel Walters. As a long player it is still not incredibly long, yet much more flowing and less hectic than their first, keeping an egalitarian balance between intense noise sections and space for instruments to breathe.
Both sides of the vinyl start with hook driven, repetitive instrumental tracks before kicking in fully to the relentless attack of the drums and heavy bass sound. This is either complimented or contradicted at times by guitar savant John Web's vocal like 'melodies', either tracing cold, dark and jagged riffs or bright, glitchy polyrythmic guitar lines, with clipped out flinty harmonics. On top of this Akiko's unpredictable and unbalanced, yelps and barks, coupled with occasional singing parts, completes Pre's four pronged aural attack.
The record works well as a whole - it's varied, thought out and well recorded. Despite this particular highlights still jut out as 'Haircut Taco's', 'Teenage Lakes' and title track 'Hope Freaks'. If you live in the United Kingdom you should probably try to catch them soon, before they relocate to Los Angeles to hang out with friends and kindred spirits, Health,The Mai Shi and Mika Miko.
(CD/LP available now from www.skingraftrecords.com and all good record shops)
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