The Needles - Summer Girls (Dangerous)
3/5
By: Chris O'Toole
Aberdeen four piece the Needles claim to have started as a Nirvana and Guns 'n' Roses tribute band, but found covering the work of such luminaries too much for their musical talents to maintain. As such, they looked a little further back in the annuals of musical history and discovered the work of Gene Vincent and other early rock 'n' roll icons. It was decided to include the simplicity, swagger and aggression of this music into their own style; the result being 'Summer Girls'.
With 'Summer Girls', their second single from the forth coming album 'In Search of the Needles', the band have produced a charming little summer ditty, an optimistic burst of rock 'n' roll, perhaps suitable for inclusion on the BBC summer season adverts. I imagine a video loaded with exciting images of water fights, hot air balloons floating majestically over English pasture, carousels filled with laughing children and drinking in the fields. Naturally the band probably have something more gritty and in touch with a harsh reality in mind, but I assume a compromise could be reached.
However, whilst the track presents all the prerequisite elements; threatening bass line, jingle-jangle guitar and harmonious backing vocals, and whilst it bursts out of the blocks, it never quite gets off the run way during its short life span and seems destined to hit the hedge at the end. This is frustrating, as throughout 'Summer Girls' the band seems to have their finger on the detonation button, but are a little too afraid to press it. No matter, however, as what remains is of a high enough quality to stand on its own two feet and march out into the daylight.
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