Luxury Stranger - Face EP

  by Dave Goodwin

published: 13 / 8 / 2013

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Review

How many bands have you heard that draw influence from the 80's indie/new wave sound that are good band but not quite there? How long have you waited for that band that is totally Cure in the weird department or which sounds like the Bunnymen or has all of Siouxsie's pout and attitude and a confidence that outshines all the real bands of the day? Well, wait no more... Luxury Stranger consists of Simon York (voices, guitars, keyboards), Tim Bond (bass, live backing vocals) and Tim Smith (drums, percussion). They hail from Nottingham, England, and their debut EP 'Face' is out now. I acquired their CD after witnessing what can only be described as one of the best live acts on the circuit today. It can only be described as outstanding. It is five tracks of raw 80's-influenced indie rock. If you liked in the heyday bands like the foresaid Cure, Bunnymen and the Banshees or perhaps David Bowie, then this is for you. It has got a bit more than that though. As well as the pop side of 80's new wave and the rough edge power of 90's 'grunge', Luxury Stranger have managed to cross the genre bridge to good effect creating music that can't easily put into a definite box. As well as churning out brilliant and dark atmospheric music, Luxury Stranger are also dabbling in art, film, photography, fashion, fetishism and fetish fashion, politics and religion, travel, horror and sci-fi, media, food and drink... The band has gone through many changes since its conception in August 2007. One part has always remained though as a constant. Simon York is the main player in the writing and sound of the band, and has a hell of a voice. All tracks here are given a power vocal treatment in fine polished style. The standout for me is the middle one, 'She Takes my Soul and Wipes it Clean'. It is an absolute anthemic monster of a track. It is a sound that has to be heard to be believed. And once you've heard it, you won't forget it. This is something else...

Track Listing:-

1 Face
2 Feelings
3 She Takes My Soul And Wipes It Clean
4 Grounded
5 Nothing Holy (TB remix)

Band Links:-

http://www.luxurystranger.net/index2.h
https://www.facebook.com/LuxuryStrange
https://twitter.com/luxury_stranger