Norwich/ Brighton alliance KAITO come with their post-punk credentials all gleaming and buffed up. They've toured with all the right people (Liars, Erase Errata, Le Tigre and British Sea Power) and have just returned from their second appearance at Texas's influential SXSW festival. Better still, their two girl/ two boy line-up got this hack's heart racing as he envisaged a modern day version of the wonderful Au Pairs.
At least until he put the CD on. Oh Lordy, was that a mistake, as the reality is instead horribly hackneyed and third rate millennial cusp post-punk, with precious little in the way of memorable tunes to complement singer Niki Colk's smouldering looks and the band's updated fem-punk attitude.
"Band Red" (Kaito's Blast First debut) was produced at Norwich's Sickroom, where deskmeister Owen Turner (of Magoo fame) recently knocked out the feverish excellence of Stuffy/The Fuses' "Join Me Or Die", but anyone expecting another similar riot of tension and excitement (mea culpa) is gonna be disappointed this time around.
Frankly, "Band Red" tries far, far too hard. Opener "Enemy Line" is typical of the problem as Kaito deliver an overheated, staccato-ish thing that wants to be both Sonic Youth and (why?) Erase Errata at the same time. Niki's strangulated vocals immediately get your goat, and when they follow up with the cackoid shouty paranoia of "Should I" you're already beginning to wince.
Sadly, most of what ensues only makes matters worse. "Think Twice" for instance demonstrates the trouble with throwing simply too many ideas into the pot and resultingly sounds bitten-off and stumbling instead of being tense and crescendo-fuelled, while punky, headlong rushes like "A.S.A To Accuracy" are purely much ado about nothing. When they desire to be quirky (like on the irritating "Moi") they are arguably even more pretentious, although the kooked and minimalist closing track "3 A.M" is kinda blank and disturbing. It's too little too late by then, though.
|
They do redeem themselves on a couple of tracks. "Nothin' New" benefits from some space to breathe, Dee Quantrill's epileptic offbeat drumming and what sounds like a melodica to enhance the melody, while even Niki's scatty vocals can't decimate "Driving Manual Auto", the one occasion when the band change up to a dangerous fifth and motor convincingly.
These are exceptions rather than the rule, though, and mostly "Band Red" is a missed opportunity. Kaito clearly want to be part of the grand post-punk roll call, but they've none of the invention, notoriety and DIY charm that set the likes of The Slits, The Raincoats and The Au Pairs apart from the pack back in the day. Besides, we;ve already got one Erase Errata and that's one too many, thanks very much.
|
