Brainiac 5 - Exploding Universe

  by Adrian Huggins

published: 5 / 7 / 2015

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Brainiac 5 formed in the mid-70s on the Cornish Pub and festival scene. Following a move to London a few years after their formation, they enjoyed the vibrant scene that was emerging around the capital in the late 70s/early 80s. Brainiac 5 eventually released their debut album 'World Inside' in 1988, but had split up prior to it getting on the shelves. The five-piece cult act eventually got back together in 2013. Brainiac 5's sound is an amalgamation of stripped down prog-rock, psych-punk and pub rock as one might expect from a band that started out where and when they did. There are also a few bits of jazz and reggae thrown in here and there to give it a bit of spice. While they squeeze in a lot into ‘Exploding Universe’, it never sounds disjointed. The appropriately-titled '(I'm The) Glue' has something of a Roxy Music feel to it, and 'The Walls are Falling Down' is a fine slice of Billy Bragg-core. 'The Beauty of It All' has a folk/psychedelic feel to it, and for me this is where the band is at its best. 'Growing Up' is one of the catchier moments of the album, although it does sound like it is being sung by people too old to be singing about growing up, but it is highly enjoyable nonetheless. One of the highlights of the album is 'Your Body's Alright' which features renowned Cornish poet Bert Biscoe and has a calmed-down Stranglers feel about it. The 'Exorcist Plan' gives guitarists Charlie Taylor and Duncan Kerr the chance for a bit of noodling and harks back to the pub rock scene from which the band first cut their teeth. It's obvious on ‘Exploding Universe’ that the band haven't lost any of their drive or skills over the years.

Track Listing:-

1 Haphazard!
2 Ordinary Man
3 Empty and Blue
4 The Beauty of It All
5 Walls Are Falling Down
6 Stars Plan Ahead
7 Growing Up
8 Your Body's Alright
9 (I'm The) Glue
10 Exorcist Plan

Band Links:-

https://twitter.com/thebrainiac5
https://brainiac5.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheBrainiac5

Label Links:-

http://reckless.co.uk/

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