Repomen - Headlines
by John Clarkson
published: 3 / 11 / 2010
Label:
Phantom Power Records
Format: CDS
intro
Bleak, but uncompromising and haunting latest record from durable and inventive Sheffield-based band, the RepoMen
These are dark times in which we live and the RepoMen’s new EP, ‘Headlines’, captures the current Zeitgeist with its oppressive regimes, paranoia and uncertainty perfectly. Part of this is achieved by the temporary addition to the regular line-up of Denzil Watson (vocals, keyboards), Ric Bower (guitars, keyboards, vocals), Simon Tiller (bass, vocals) and James Hughes (drums) of local Sheffield-based multi-instrumentalist and “honorary Repo” Howard Price. His searing blasts of trumpet on the first two tracks, ‘Headlines’ and ‘Flicker’, and also violin again on the title track help to give the whole EP a feeling of epic sombreness. ‘Headlines’ tells the story of 26 year old Neda Agha Soltani who became the worldwide spearhead for 2009 election revolutions when her shooting and death on a political rally against vote rigging was caught on video mobile phone. Watson’s mournful and bitterly ironic vocals and its tale of this unfortunate young woman, however, give it an appropriate melancholy (“This is not my revolution/I am not dying for your cause”). ‘Flicker’ is both dark and urgent. Escalating edgy guitars and enigmatically sinister vocals from Watson (“I know what is going on with you/I know what is going on to you/Do you?”) fuel further the sense of alienation and disorder that dominate this EP. It moves briefly into Calexico territory with the injection of a Mariachi trumpet towards the end, but the overall tone is again bleak. ‘What We Do’, the third song, is about state repression in Burma (“This is what we do and it’s got nothing to do with you”), and merges jumpy guitars and vocals. Lastly there is ‘Feed Me’, an experimental track which combines together ghostly whispers of vocals and a pattering acoustic guitar with slithering scrapes of melodica. This is the eleventh EP from the RepoMen who first formed in 1992, and who have also released an album, ‘Songs They Never Play on the Radio’. Never afraid to try something new, ‘Headlines’ finds the always versatile RepoMen again in different territory from their pop-punk edged last two EPs, ‘Star’ and ‘Parallel Schizophrenic’. It is a bold, uncompromising and haunting record which sticks with its listener long after its finish.
Track Listing:-
1 Headlines2 Flicker
3 What We Do
4 Feed Me
5 Parallel Schizophrenic
6 A Song From Under The Floorboards
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/RepoMenbandhttps://repomen.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5z7bDTMKxk4PwNtSsdocX1?si=01dd77dd0c
interviews |
Interview (2015) |
John Clarkson speaks to Denzil Watson, the front man with durable Sheffield indie act RepoMen about 'Occasional Sensations', which is a documentary film about them, and their recent album, ‘I’m Only Doing This Because I Like Your Robot’ |
Interview (2011) |
Interview (2004) |
Interview (2002) |
live reviews |
Casbah, Sheffield, 27/10/2003 |
The Repomen have never played London. Olga Sladeckova, therefore, decided to make the trip up to their hometown of Sheffield to catch their latest gig, but finds it definitely worth the four hour journey |
features |
Ten Songs That Made Me Love... (2024) |
John Clarkson writes about his ten favourite songs by ReopMen, who were Sheffield's longest-serving indie band. |
bandcamp
soundcloud
reviews |
Path of Least Resistance (2016) |
Fine thirteenth EP from inventive Sheffield-based band RepoMen who have just celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary |
Vapour Trails (2014) |
My Fantasy EP (2012) |
Priceless EP (2012) |
Parallel Schizophrenic (2009) |
Star EP (2008) |
Songs They Never Play On the Radio (2007) |
Dietrich (2005) |
Out Of Here (2004) |
Moonlight Driving/the Finest Line (2003) |
Save Yourself/Lauren Bacall (2003) |
Seventeen Again (2003) |
Lights Out / She's In Love (2001) |
Reel Me Cuber / Eyes on the Road (2001) |
most viewed articles
current edition
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.The Church - Interview with Steve Kilbey
Simon Heavisides - Destiny Stopped Screaming: The Life and Times of Adrian Borland
Secret Shine - Interview
Vetchinsky Settings - Interview
Repomen - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Flaming Stars - Interview
Near Jazz Experience - Interview
Jack Roscoe - Interview
Sami Sumner - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Kula Shaker - Natural MagickIan Hunter - Defiance Part 2: Fiction
Lewis 'Burner' Pugh - Bullets for Bread
Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Back in Time
Inutili - A Love Supreme
My Life Story - Loving You is Killing Me
David Cross Band - Ice Blue Silver Sky
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
Smalltown Tigers - Crush On You
Ty Segall - Three Bells
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