Six By Seven - All My New Best Friends

  by John Clarkson

published: 25 / 5 / 2002

Label: Mantra
Format: CDS

intro

Oddly mellow, but acerbic EP release from the acid-toned Six by Seven

Over the course of three albums, the Nottingham-based group Six by Seven have consolidated a solid reputation for producing acerbic, acid-toned guitar rock, while their frontman, Chris Olley, has proved himself to be one of the independent music industry's most articulate and intelligent hard men. At a first impression, new EP 'All My New Best Friends', the third out take from their latest album 'The Way I Feel Today', may appear to signify a remarkable about-turn in direction with its use of subdued acoustic instrumentation, and a gentle emphasis on balladic melody. A withering attack on pretence and vanity and the superficiality of the whole 'Hello' celebrity culture, it , however, simply finds the band finding a new way of showing off their famed bark and bite. The first of the 'B' sides, a strong , but seemingly whimsical cover of the Soft Boys classic 'I Want to Destroy You', has Olley and co. toying with vocal harmonies, but tells a tale of obsessive love gone violent awry. The last track, sinister instrumental 'LK351B', meanwhile finds the band playing around with the sort of hazy, experimental riff that would usually be found on an 'Alien'/'Predator' style horror sci-film soundtrack. All in all,a great and impressive new offering which finds the always dependable Six by Seven putting new weight on old themes, but losing in the process little of their intensity.

Track Listing:-

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