published: 10 /
12 /
2006
Label:
Poptones
Format: CD
Heartfelt hardcore on electronic-influenced debut album from abrasive Canadian-based punks, Sailboats are White
Review
This is hardcore. Everything about 'Turbo' screams US indie hardcore circa 1982 from its bare bones productions to the screeched slightly out of breath vocals to its hand drawn cover. If you were lucky to catch short life US band the Wives when they were around, then you are heading in a similar direction with Sailboats are White.
On first listen 'Turbo' sounds something of a mess, but when you sit down and take a good listen to it you’ll ‘get it’. This is music made out of passion and desperation with a wry wit and also...a drum machine. Yes, hardcore punk with a drum machine. This makes for an unusual twist, although this has has happened, as songwriter Kevin Wright has described it, simply because of “our drummer flaking out after a few shows.” This electronic sound, however, gives a real post punk/hardcore feel to Sailboats Are White, making songs like ‘Led Eye’ sound a little like Joy Division which of course is never a bad thing.
With fantastic song-writing on the likes of ‘Congratulations on the Goddamn Cherries' and “It’s Exactly 5 Seconds from Here to the Door, I’ll Give You Two' it is clear that this band come with a real sense of self, tongue in cheek style and also believe 110% in what they are doing.
While Sailboats Are White are never going to be playing arenas they are not meant to, and would be absolutely wasted on the masses. Sailboats Are White have, however, the potential to have a glorious career with a cult following. On songs such as ‘S.A.W.’ which sounds exactly how you would imagine a song of that title would sound, and sensory over-loader ‘Hand It to the Devil’, it is clear this band could really matter.
I just hope enough people are subjected to their brand of noise pollution. If noisy, experimental, heartfelt indie rock at it’s most extreme is what you floats your boat, or is what is missing in your life, then I implore you to seek this band out and make the effort to catch them when they come over to England to terrorize us in person. I am sure it will be a pleasure.
Track Listing:-
1
Congratulations On The Goddamn Cherries
2
Veto
3
Led Eye
4
Mutiny Disease
5
It's Exactly Four Seconds From Here To The Door, I'll Give You Two
6
Sailboats Are White
7
How The East Was Lost
8
Hand It To The Devil
9
The Fourth Finger On My Left Hand
10
Throwing The Fight
11
Let's Set Up North On Fire
12
The Sex-Drive Thieves