Houdini Dax - The BBC Sessions

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 2 / 3 / 2010

Label: See Monkey Do Monkey
Format: CDS

intro

Refreshing up-dating of 60s influences on debut EP from Cardiffh-based group Houdini Dax which was recorded at a BBC Radio Wales session

Houdini Dax are Jack Butler, David Newington, Emyr Honeybun and Owen Richards and come from Cardiff in Wales. On the strength of their demo tape they got a radio session on BBC Radio Wales of which three of these four tracks come from. ‘Robin You Lie’ starts off in a ramshackle way. It has a great 60’s groove, but is updated for the new century by this young and very fresh Welsh bunch It sounds something like a better version of the Libertines pretending to be the Beatles in Hamburg. Despite its influences it is very much a song of this century and not the last. ‘Fizzy Moon’ is delivered in a way that recalls Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd and has an added edge of Elastica. ‘Mr Pascoe’ is a walk through the back page of Ray Davies on a pleasant Sunday afternoon. The bonus track which may not be a session track is ‘Struggling in the Sand’ is a pure trip down memory lane that hints again at the Kinks and also the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band or the Libertines when they were still very much friends.

Track Listing:-