Odd Shaped Head - Egomatic Annie
by Jonjo McNeill
published: 22 / 9 / 2007

Label:
Odd Shaped Head
Format: CDS
intro
Stunning, eclectic art rock on second single from quirky Newcastle quartet Odd Shaped Head
Single reviews are supposed to be small, so I’ll spare all the background information on Odd Shaped Head. But here are a few things you must know. Theres four of them, they hail from Newcastle, they’d prefer it if you called them Odd shApEd hEAd and they’re - not to put too fine a point on it - fucking great. For those who missed previous single ‘The Multi-Coloured Ket Song’ (a deranged punk nursery rhyme with more hooks than Abu Hamza’s wardrobe) they’ve very kindly brought us ‘Egomatic Annie’, a taster for their soon-to-land debut long player. And on the strength of this it's going to be some debut. Made to no formula but their own, it's got both of its feet on the right side of quirky. Hook after hook is layered and melded into and onto each other. Here is a band who absolutely do not give a fuck what else is being made around them. The fact that in the space of three minutes and twenty eight seconds they manage to drag what is essentially a pop song through the realms of punk, rock, (what some people might call) indie and even a little bit of prog shows their utter disregard for fashions – a highly appealing characteristic in these days of 5-minute-fads and haircut rockstars. This is eclecticism at it’s best. Driving angular guitars, st-st-stuttering drums and sun-drenched harmonies blend into a sound that is as unique as their incredible live shows. That they’ve managed to tie their sound down at all is a small wonder, to improve on it is nothing short of amazing. I will - here and now - declare this the best pop song since the last Odd Shaped Head single. Quite simply an amazing record from an amazing new band. I await their album with great enthusiasm and urge anyone with ears on their head (whatever shape that might be) to hunt this one out and guzzle it down. Marvellous.
Track Listing:-
1 Egomatic Annie2 Unless
interviews |
Interview (2008) |
![]() |
Odd Shaped Head, who come from Newcastle, have been attracting a cult audience across Britain with their angular guitar rock sound and quirky lyrics. Frontman Paul Bentley chats to Jonjo McNeill about their forthcoming debut album, 'I Wonder How This Endeavour Will End’ |
most viewed articles
current edition
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every SongArmory Show - Interview with Richard Jobson
John McKay - Interview
Colin Blunstone - Thalia Hall, Chicago, 16/7/2025
Billie Eilish - O2 Arena, London, 10/7/2025
Bathers - Photoscapes 1
Visor Fest - Valencia, Spain, 26/9/2025...27/9/2025
Loft - Interview
Sir Tim Rice - Interview
Robert Forster - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the JumboSick Man of Europe - The Sick Man of Europe
Lucy Spraggan - Other Sides of the Moon
Phew, Erika Kobayashi,, Dieter Moebius - Radium Girls
Amy Macdonald - Is This What You've Been Waiting For?
Bush - I Beat Loneliness
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
Alice Cooper - The Revenge of Alice Cooper
Blueboy - 2
Cynthia Erivo - I Forgive You
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart