Help, She Can't Swim - The Death of Nightlife

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 8 / 5 / 2007

Help, She Can't Swim - The Death of Nightlife

Label: Fantastic Plastic Records
Format: CD

Likeable, occasionally surprising collection of punk pop on second album from London-based band, Help, She Can't Swim

Review

Granted; Help, She Can't Swim is a pretty awful name for this London/SE England band. On their second album, these moderately noisy punk popsters Help, She Can't Swim do offer some, again, pretty great plastic. Their new album was preceded by the excellent 'Hospital Drama' single where - in their usual frenzied manner- Help, She Can't Swim went dashing about inbetween fine breaks and moodful organ riffs. Those smashes of sound are the ones that keep up the pace of 'The Death of Nightlife'. In the meantime, their sardonic lyrics cast you back into your corner. 'The Death of Nightlife' must be one of the first releases to mention iTunes. 'I Think the Record's Stopped' closes off side one in grand style. Going into side two, tedium sets in though. Finishing off side two of 'The Death of Nightlife', with a surprise move is the slow tempo 'Never The Right Time For Us' , where vocalists Leesey Frances and Tom Denney find harmony in unusual fashion after so many kitchen fights ruined the potential of literate arguements set to the backdrop of clashes of music.

Track Listing:-

1 Pass The Hat Around
2 Idle Chatter
3 Kite Eating Tree
4 Hospital Drama
5 Apes And Pigs At The Culture Coliseum
6 I Think The Records Stopped
7 Midnight Garden
8 Box Of Delights
9 All The Stars
10 Just Be Social
11 Dragged Under A Wave
12 Never The Right Time For Us