If ever an album title encapsulated disaffected nihilism, surely this is it. Arrows of Love aren’t going to sugar-coat it: everything is fucked. And they don’t give a fuck. Well, they do, they’re burning with angst as they rail against it all, but they don’t give a fuck what you think, whether or not you like them or their record. Because, simply, fuck you. That’s what this album says.
Forming in 2011, Arrows of Love didn’t so much appear as explode onto the music scene with the raw, visceral second single ‘Honey’ and some truly riotous live shows. At times, it wasn’t sure of they’d make it to the end of the song, let alone the set, or last long enough to release an album. Of course, being dangerously volatile and unpredictable is what makes them such an exciting band in a world of safe-playing careerists.
‘Everything’s Fucked’ is spectacularly raw, edgy, teeters on a knife edge between glorious vitriol and messy collapse. ‘Honey’ makes for a searing opener, a sinewy grunge blast that raises tweo fingers amidst a squall of feedback, a thunderous bass and duelling male / female vocals yelled by Nima Teranchi and Lyndsey Critchley.
Packing 11 tracks into 35 minutes means there’s not much breathing space, no meandering instrumental passages, so smoochy ballads, and no filler. ‘Suck’ slams in hard with scratchy, stuttering guitars, and listening to Mike Frank’s drumming you have to wonder how many drum sticks the guy gets through. ‘Prescriptions’ is a shouty blur of guitar and cymbal-heavy racket that comes on like a three-way collision between Nirvana, Pavement and the Fall.
Single cut ‘The Knife’ comes closest to offering some respite, Nima and Lyndsey picking the scabs of a screwed relationship and declaring ‘you look look good / and I feel shit’ before a tsunami of maxed-out guitar tears through everything with annihilative force. The sonic definition of catharsis, it’s a killer track.
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‘Real Friends’ and ‘Pretend Friends’ are both jolting, jarring bolts of anger, and ‘Conspiracy Podcast’ locks into a grinding bass groove as Nima again steps into Mark E Smith spoken word mode before cutting loose sand ranting manic over more guitar salvoes by way of a chorus. Yes, for all the racket, the discord and hell-for-leather frenzy, Arrows of Love have a knack for a chorus, and have an instinctive handle on the quiet / loud dynamic. ‘Profiteer’ sounds like a lost track by The Damned, Nima affecting a sleazy baritone croon.
The placing of downbeat and brooding goth-tinged slow-burner ‘Addict’ means ‘Illusionist’ hits with even more impact and the closer, ‘Ships’ limps, ravaged and drained for the exit while revealing a very different and altogether more introverted, reflective side to the band.
In a year that’s proving to be quite exceptional for album releases, ‘Everything’s Fucked’ is a strong contender for the end of year lists, while cementing Arrows of Love’s place in the league of first-rate bands that really matter right now. Grunge most certainly isn’t dead, and ‘Everything’s Fucked’ is essential listening for anyone with an interest in noisy guitar music.
Arrows of Love Online
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