I'll be the first to admit that I never really dug The Electric Soft Parade. I liked the early sleeve designs, from before they added the 'Electric' to the name and shortly after. Other than that, I found little of interest in their work. But there's a lot more to Thomas White than ESP, and his resume is both impressive and eclectic. He's played either live or in the studio with - to name but a few - Sparks; Brakes; The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster; British Sea Power; The Pipettes... the list goes on.
Similarly, his influences are diverse to say the least, spanning what he terms 'jangle and all things harmonious,' to a 'secret love... for sludge of any kind,' citing Sunn 0))) and Part Chimp, as well as The Dandy Warhols.
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How does this all pan out on 'The Last Blast'? Really rather well, actually. It's a dynamic burst of fizzy guitars propelled by a powerhouse rhythm and bolstered by some bold horns. The vocals are clipped with a hint of distortion, and White comes across like Mark E Smith in places, tossing out disjointed lyrics with a cynical sneer.
It's always a pleasant surprise to find a single that confounds expectations and is a genuinely inspired nugget of sonic gold, and this is indeed one of those rare finds.
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