Poundstore Riot - Writing the Wrongs

by Malcolm Carter

published: 4 / 12 / 2014

Label: Folkwit Records
Format: CD

Offbeat and lo-fi indie pop on debut album from Glasgow-based duo, Poundstore Riot

Review

‘Writing the Wrongs’ is one of those albums you’d pick up and be both curious about but not bothered with at the same time. The cover makes it clear that this is a lo-fi home recording. The keyboards and drums pushed up into a corner of a room is the biggest clue and the image of police entering a cut-price store in what you feel is a road that has long since passed it’s best before date, coupled with pictures of a young road-sweeper and an equally bored-looking chap on a mini-tractor, give the feeling that, although this is a place many of us recognise, we don’t necessarily want to take a musical trip there. Then there’s the ‘bio’ on the duo’s website, which must surely be fictional. Basically Ash Cooke (Pulco, Derrero) and Stuart Kidd (BMX Bandits, the Pearlfishers, the Wellgreen) were imprisoned for inciting a minor riot at a Poundland sale (the mind boggles) in Wrexham, and it was decided that their DIY home studio that was somehow at the root of their problems could be utilised for their rehabilitation. ‘Writing the Wrongs’ is, apparently, the result. Right. Once we’ve got past all that it’s down to the music of course. It doesn’t get off to a brilliant start. The forty two-second ‘A Rush to the Big House’ all church bells, otherworldly piano and guitar and admittedly quite affecting wordless vocals, serves what purpose actually? The closing ‘Time to Go’ follows the same pattern, a waste of another forty seconds or so that I won’t have again. Someone a lot smarter than this writer will suggest that these short instrumentals that top and tail the album serve a purpose and set the atmosphere for the whole thing but they don’t. They detract not add. Which is a shame as the ‘second’ track,’ Bobby’s Basement’, which isn’t as lo-fi as you’d expect, has all the qualities that made the twee/Sarah Records movement appeal to so many music lovers. It’s also obvious that both Cooke and Kidd have poured more time, passion and love into this project than we are led to believe. Yes, we’ve heard it all before, Teenage Fanclub, BMX Bandits, most Sarah Records artists, they are all in there somewhere but it’s performed with plenty of conviction and most importantly it’s on a par with most of the output of the above. The lyrics are sharp and the playing is, despite suffering from being recorded in someone’s front room or bedroom, actually well performed. The next couple of tracks follow much the same route, although ‘Green’, the third song, is particularly touching. The yearning in the singer’s voice is apparent; watching a band he so desperately wants to be part of up on stage you can almost feel his pain. Again the song is lyrically sharp, and once more it’s obvious that there’s more to these recordings than we initially thought. ‘Roll Tape’ is a spoken word piece, which is quite amusing, and an unexpected departure from what has gone before. Detailing the lead up to the riot at that Poundland store, it’s both touching and amusing. The short but effective title track that carries on where the previous song left off is another musical diversion, this time displaying a harder, punkier edge to the duo’s sound. The six minute ‘Hapless Writer’ develops their sound even further; there can be few accusations of being twee here with its neat psychedelic flourishes. ‘History of Home-Fi’ is another spoken word track. Again the subject matter will be familiar to many listeners, and while it’s debatable as to if this particular song will warrant the repeated listens much of the songs on ‘Poundstore Riot’ do it’s an interesting diversion. Initial niggles, mainly concerning those two short instrumentals which still make no sense, are quickly forgotten thanks to the technology, which these guys know only too well now, that enable us to edit them out of future spins and enjoy the album for what it is; an enjoyable half hour of some of the best indie pop around just now.

Track Listing:-

1 A Rush to the Big House
2 Bobby's Basement
3 Cylinder Sound
4 Green
5 The Snare Wire That Buzzed as I S
6 Roll Tape
7 Poundstore Riot
8 Obstacles
9 Hapless Writer
10 History of Home-Fi
11 Time to Go