LANGUAGE – EP REVIEW

Language – Plymouth EP (Goodeye Records)

Language - Plymouth EP

Release Date: Out Now

Brooklyn trio caught my attention for three reasons. Firstly, they share their name with a London band from around 8 years ago who were really good but thought they were great and gave promoters like me a lot of grief (thankfully, not the same band). Secondly, they named their EP after my hometown so, y’know, props. And finally, they are really, really, really good. This final point was the clincher and was a realisation I came to during the instrumental opening to the EP, ironically called ‘Where To’ which is a very Plymouthian phrase for those that don’t know. The huge slabs of guitar and bass are riddled with the superb drumming like someone letting an automatic machine gun go at the swinging carcass of a cow (or bag of tofu if you’re not in to meat. It’s just not as powerful an image).

Seguing seamlessly in to ‘Game Piece’, Language pick up a more garage-punk vibe with the snotty, sometimes screamed vocals giving this track a real edge that’s matched by the, frankly, unexpected Dutch Uncles-esque guitar wig-out (unexpected but not unwelcome, I should add). Title track ‘Plymouth’ takes a moment to see what train horn noises can be made with a guitar before sliding in to a surreal, Twin Peaks-esque soundscape from which emerges a laid back but slightly paranoid song that, if it were a friend, you’d tell to just sit down and breathe for a minute.

‘Into and Out Of’ pierces the air like a Morse-code message from hell and, whatever the message is, it’s given forcefully and relentlessly until you submit in a pool of your own brain fluids. Final track ‘Square Winds’ is as angular as they come and would drive a lesser man to drink but in between all the angles is a prog-punk track trying to escape or, at the very least, encourage a syncopated circle pit. Language are a challenging band but boy do we need challenging bands at the moment and if I ever get the chance to see them live I’ll be grabbing that challenge with both hands.


Live Dates:

16th May – Baby’s All Right, New York w/Grooms + Russian Baths

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