Klang - Love / No Thing
by John Clarkson
published: 11 / 7 / 2003

Label:
For Us
Format: 7"
intro
Debut limited-to-1000 copies vinyl single from former Elastica guitarist Donna Matthews' new band, Klang
Always one of the more exciting acts of the 90's Britpop era, Elastica shot to prominence across the winter and spring of 1994 and 1995 with a string of stunning singles, and a million-selling self-titled No. 1 album. Their career petered out six years later, a year or so after the release of a much-delayed, but slightly disappointing second album, 'The Menace'. Donna Matthews, the group's guitarist and co-songwriter, left the band in 1998. She has had a difficult few years, fighting a much-publicised addiction to heroin , but is now back with a new band, Klang, an all-girl trio, which also features German-born record shop employee, Isabel Waider, and Japanese drummer, Keisuke Hiratsuke. 'L.O.VE/No Thing', which has come out on vinyl and is limited to 1000 copies, is her first new recording since the 'Elastica' album. Both Matthews and Justine Frischmann, her fellow songwriter in Elastica, were always mainly influenced by 70's new wave. Both tracks are reminiscent of the Slits or more recently the Kills with their slightly dubby sound, but most of all, with Matthews' stuttering Wire-style guitar lines and brittle, shouted Fall-influenced vocals ,of Elastica themselves. The first track takes a typically cynically indifferent look at romance and is the more discordant of the two songs, while 'No Thing' is slightly more melodic and finds a hopeful Matthews taking renewed faith in that, whatever life throws at her, she will eventually see her way beyond it and work it through. There is little here then that Matthews hasn't done before, but, after so long away, and after everything that has happened , it is good to hear her back and in such fiery, but also optimistic form.
Track Listing:-
1 L.O.V.E.2 No Thing
most viewed articles
most viewed reviews
current edition
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the JumboVultures - Liz Kershaw Session 16.06.88
Philip Jeays - Victoria
Eddie Chacon - Lay Low
Lapsley - I'm a Hurricane, I'm a Woman In Love
Billy Nomates - Metalhorse
Pulp - More
Garbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Morcheeba - Escape The Chaos
Little Simz - Lotus
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