Opposite Sex - Opposite Sex

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 1 / 5 / 2012

---

This album has already caused a bit of a buzz in the indie world. The sleeve is pink, and it manages to look erotic, gay, gothic, Greek and like something that might have been put out by the 4AD label in its prime all at once. Opposite Sex , who come from Dunedin in New Zealand, consists of Lucy Hunter (vocals, bass, piano and keyboards), Fergus Taylor (guitar) and Tim Player (drums, vocals, keyboards). There is a limited vinyl pressing of 150 copies, but the CD version is still reminiscent of a vinyl LP as it is split into two sides. The first side opens with 'La Rat', which sounds very odd and like a strange combination of the Strokes and Talulah Gosh. It is very messy and DIY, while Lucy sounds on it like she is twelve. 'Sea Shanty' is reminiscent of a Film Noir soundtrack, and has a more mature-sounding vocal from Lucy that recalls Trish Keenan from Broadcast. 'Mary Lu' has a vocal from Tim, and much more abrasive in sound is like a very oddball Fall. 'Panther Fight' has a butter-wouldn't-melt vocal from Lucy over sweetly played backing. It is as elegant as a sunny Sunday, but then throws in some twee trumpets and jazz guitar. On 'Dada Creep', they go back to sounding like Talulah Gosh, this time backed by a quirky Fall. 'Vague Notion', which is more sophisticated, is like Neil Young on a trip with the Doors banging out a jam, while Tim's lead vocal on it is like that of the young Robert Smith The second side statrs with 'Master/Slave', which is like an early punky Altered Images, with backing vocals from Tim in the style of Einar Benediktsson from the Sugarcubes. 'A Year on Your Own' sound like Alice is well and truly lost in her wonderland, and is both charming and odd. 'Got to Eat' has shouty Sugarcubes style vocal from Tim, while musically it recalls late night John Peel, XFM, and the more odd stuff that 'The Tube' used to give us. 'Hamish and Chips' is weird and punky like X Ray Spex or a post punk the Slits. 'The Bones of Dr White' is another soundtrack number, but with a light jazzy sound. 'Listen' is like Siouxie and the Banshees, with more echo on the vocals while the guitars jam in an almost free jazz style, and the bass and drums drift in and out of the mix. 'Outro' ends the album which is short and typically weird. 'Opposite Sex' is a disorientating and oddball, but often compelling debut album.

Track Listing:-

1 Sea Shanty
2 La Rat
3 Mary Lu
4 Panther Fight
5 Dada Creep
6 Vague Notion
7 Master/Slave
8 A Year On Your Own
9 Got To Eat
10 Hamish & Chips
11 The Bones Of Dr White
12 (We Don't Need To) Listen
13 Outro

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/Opposite-Sex-188032494554825
https://oppositesex.bandcamp.com/

Label Links:-

http://www.fishriderrecords.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/Beaksa
https://fishriderrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/fishriderrecords/
https://twitter.com/FishriderNZ
https://fishriderrecords.wordpress.com/

Post A Comment

---

Comment

Name

your name

Location

ie London, UK

Submit

Check box to submit

Adam Coxon
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson

Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart

Malcolm Carter
Marie Hazelwood
Mark Rowland
Nick Dent-Robinson
Nicky Crewe
Nige Nudds
Philamonjaro
Richard Lewis
Shirley Procter
Spencer Robertshaw
Steev Burgess
Steve Kinrade

Steve Miles
Tommy Gunnarsson
Zena Grieg