You don't get many bands who work up their craft while they've been locked in a Victorian attic (of their own free will, one hopes) and admit to "working diligently" during their incarceration.
Still, as the late Roy Castle used to so astutely preach, it's "Dedication" that moves you ahead, and such dedication has served THE BETES NOIRES well, as this well-recorded 4-song demo EP demonstrates to great effect. It's an excellent effort and suggests this Northern Irish trio have places to go and people to meet in the near future.
Based in Belfast, this trio - comprising Paul McIver (bass, vocals, keyboards), Simon Kelly (guitar/ vocals) and drummer Ryan Simpson - have plenty in common with their loud, proud predecessors such as SLF and Ash, but also their own inimitible way with songwriting that suggests they have plenty of possibilities on the strength of these songs.
"Visceral Path" is a good opener. Fairly straightforward, if ultra-tight power pop/ hardcore from the Therapy?/ Fugazi school. It's a good, vgenomous start and makes the sensible decision not to throw a good riff away with too much deviation.
Second track, "Show Of Strength," though is - for me - the best track here. Fading in on church-y organ and sliding into chugging, slowburning dynamics, it shows McIver can really sing and he attacks male stereotypes with real aplomb here. "In a group I'm a whore, spit my words on the floor," he sings, drippig vitriol before bringing in a wonderfully anthemic, Ash-style chorus. I also love the way Simpson rides the open hi-hat, ensuring the tension builds to the max. Oh, and it's definitely NOT the Bunnymen song of the same title, for those of you still anxious out there.
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"Plastercut" and "Black/ Blue Ink" hardly come as disappointments either. The former has a great trebly, chromatic intro and lyrically attacks ivory tower attitudes while getting to be all plangent and moody, while the vocals from McIver and Kelly really soar. "Black/ Blue Ink", meantime, is a yearning, slowburning thing, with occasional lapses into REM-ish backing vox. It unravels nicely with more fine, counterpoint bass playing and leaves you feeling you're very much in at the birth of something good.
The Betes Noires are a hard-working trio who are busily caving out a niche for themselves. They're due to support Jeff Buckley's old bandmates The AM as I write this and - on this evidence - those talented guys will have their work cut out. The English tanslation of the French term Bete Noire means roughly 'pet hate' or 'the thing you love to hate', but where this band are concerned, that's far, far from the truth.
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