Thursday 25 June 2009

Review - That Fucking Tank - Tanknology

That Fucking Tank - Tanknology

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9 out of 10

Sure, That Fucking Tank are underground; they're DIY; they're an instrumental math/noise/rock duo who turn the relentless repetition of techno and punk into an art form; they play small clubnights and basements and grimy YouTube videos; and they're named after a line from 'Apocalypse Now'. But what Andy Abbott (baritone guitar, amps) and James Islip (drums) really do on 'Tanknology' is remind us of the base joy of listening (and dancing) to riffs and drums played fast, over and over. On eighth the song, 'Bruce Springstonehenge', especially - it's the tune of 'Dancing In The Dark' barely disguised as rough punk-pop number.

'Tanknology', the second full LP from TFT, is less scuzzy and more melodic than 2006's 'Day Of Death By Bono Adrenalin Shock' - with tangled up, chugging Foo Fighters riffs amongst the feedback and blasts of prog and techno bombast. Fittingly, 'Dave Grolsch', alongside 'Evan Dido', has one of the most heavy, nagging riffs here: primitive metal, like when Black Sabbath were trying to sound like the steelworks, with splattering, pounding drumming kicked in. It's sure better than Grohl's Probot project.

'Mr Blood' - a Matt Bellamy tune-up turned dance-rock thumper - rides on a buzzing, elastic bass line and is almost acceptable for radio, while 'Keanu Reef' is niggly math-rock from previous TFT records combined with prog and techno breakdowns. The latter's finale, like the noisy, menacing 'Ludwig II Of Bavaria' (which has a studio chat between band and producer left in), shows that while 'Tanknology' has melody, Abbott and Islip are still capable of meticulous chaos.

Final track 'Stephen Hawkwind' (eight minutes long and songtitle of the year if nothing else) gallops towards the close, mixing up elements of every TFT song so far, on this record and beyond - prog-metal, fuzz from machines turned up too loud, math-rock, a piano pinched form 'Sgt Pepper's...' and Hendrix guitar heroism. It's fucking nuts and they're fucking brilliant.

Listen: www.myspace.com/landsandbody

Tracklist:
1. It's Your Letters
2. Keanu Reef
3. Mr Blood
4. John Faheyshanu
5. Dave Grolsch
6. Nancy Mustaine
7. Evan Dido
8. Bruce Springstonehenge
9. Ludwig II Of Bavaria
10. Stephen Hawkwind

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