Sinking Citizenship - Broadcasting Germs

  by Jon Rogers

published: 4 / 6 / 2005

---

Review

The Sinking Citizenship comes from a long line of Australian experimental rock groups such as The Boys Next Door, The Go Betweens and The Saints. The Sinking Citizenship have clearly been listening to all of those highly critically acclaimed groups and even the likes of The Laughing Clowns and The Scientists. The trio of Kristian Roberts, John Forbes and Matt Cox though have also been drawing in the dissonant tones of British new wave. 'The Doomstars' sounds like Joy Division's 'Decades' but not quite so depressed. Roberts' vocals on the opening 'Safe in the System' seem to blatantly rip-off John Lydon's demented warblings on 'Metal Box' and elsewhere there are clear influences of Killing Joke, The Fall and Nick Cave. Even 'At Sixes and Sevens' blends The Birthday Party with Big Black. 'Broadcasting Germs', as you might expect, isn't easy listening. It's confrontational, unsettling and contains some interesting moments. It falls down heavily though as the listener can really play the indie parlour game of spot the influence. Anyone with a passing interest in new wave could sit down with 'Broadcasting Germs' and draw up a list of albums that the band have drawn heavily on. While they can't be accused of plagarism, The Sinking Citizenship clearly wear their influences on their sleeve for all to see. The Sinking Citizenship are ultimately shackled to their record collection and will only really become of interest once they've found their own artistic voice. Things could be worse though, taking bands like Joy Division, The Birthday Party et al as your benchmark is perhaps a smart move. It could have been much worse.

Track Listing:-

1 Safe In The System
2 Neutralise
3 The Doomstars
4 Way To Meet Ends
5 Last Minute Intervention
6 At Sixes And Sevens
7 Radio Unsound
8 The Black Song
9 Disclosure