Neighbourhood Strange - Russian Spy EP

  by Steve Kinrade

published: 22 / 10 / 2019

Label: Strange Recordings
Format: CD

intro

Fantastic combination of punk, psychedelia ans surfer rock influences on latest vinyl/CD release from Stonehenge-based band the Neighbourhood Strange

The first couple of guitar notes of 'Russian Spy' made me think of Macca’s opus 'Live and Let Die”'and the spy theme is reiterated with references to Stalin and Putin to and the stand-out line - “ten past five and the Novichok is stronger”. This really borders on camp, with a nod to operatic gestures channeling the spirit of Jim Morrison. Frilly shirt de-rigeur as you rest your foot on the stage monitor. Dave Vanian anyone? And it is also nice to see a band release 7’ vinyl again, as well as the stock CD 5 track offering. The Neighbourhood Strange are a glorious mash up of lots of influences - Iggy Pop, the Doors, the Cult, punk, pysch, surfer - and the following three tracks belt along nicely - especially the anthem in waiting 'Walk On Water’ - fantastic stuff. Marcus Turner’s vocal delivery is reminiscent of Hugh Cornwell’s on 'Peaches'. The fifth track 'Desert Sand' manages to crystallise everything that is great about the Neighbourhood Strange in one minute and fifty-one seconds flat. Job done. It would be interesting to see this mob live, to see if this extra dimension adds to the whole. I have a hunch that it will. My money is that they sonically really put the boot in, so to speak. It may not be groundbreaking (what is), but their constituency will go absolutely ape for this. And at the end of the day, when it goes dark, thats all you can ask for. As I said - job done.

Track Listing:-

Band Links:-