The Others - 'The Others' (Poptones)
3/5
By: Toby L
If The Libertines are the Chinese take-away, then The Others are the chunder you expel following a particularly agitating kebab. Dominic Masters and his posse make no claims of grandiose romance or charm... Wait a second. Charm? It could well be a concept foreign to the urchins of the disparate, 'go on, give it a go' music-culture we're presently knee-deep in. Production is raw, perhaps negligible, song tempos pace up and down as if the band are still learning their parts, and Masters sneers, yelps and slurs like a southern Mark E Smith. Or petulant toddler.
They talk of their reverence and allegiance to the working classes, and it's hard to doubt them. But in such righteousness of personal values, it don't half make for a compromised listen. This isn't a band deeply in thrall of the potential sonic display that could make angels swoon, nor need it be in their eyes. They do a line, plug in, play and let it all out.
Contemplating the punk ideal then, it's not bad, per se, but if only what they vent could be that much more considered, it'd make the message that much more digestible. As it is, 'The Others' at times seems arrogant and bloated in its own attempts at authenticity.
Yet touches of the band's eponymous debut border on relevance - 'In The Background' is a thrilling abandon of alt-punk values, almost arty in its wallowing, 'Stan Bowles' is played like the reluctant pop song it is, 'William' is British Sea Power without the wilful, steely-eyed eccentricity, 'Psychovision' rocks like The Jam in a blender, and 'How I Nearly Lost You' is a semi-tender love song that'd one'd be heartless to discount.
'This Is For The Poor' - the band's original debut - is possibly the most telling track, however. 'This is for... anyone that has left their hometown... All the ones that have been shoved around... All the ones that have stood up for yourself... This is for all the poor, and not you rich kids...'
The sentiment is simple, grilling enough, but in its attempts to be archly anthemic, it's overlooked the potential that some people outside of the skint bracket might well have gone through some form of turmoil in their lives. It's inverse snootiness. The sort of tawdry, immature reaction you'd expect from a snivelling bunch of students.
'This is what is wrong with this town of ours...'
... And this is what is wrong with The Others. They offer no suggestion, no solution. Just a whole dollop of snotty brattishness and self-pity. Shame. They could have made a landmark here. Instead, it's just a series of thoroughly negative ideals that seem half-baked, out-dated, and - most ugly of all - distinctly prejudiced.
Artists in this article: The Others
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment