Being old enough to remember, not quite the era that echoes through this latest single from The Heat Inc, but certainly the next generation of guitar slingers who we were so enamoured and infected by that sound, “True Romance” feels like a godsend. Why? Because you can make an argument that much rock music made since the turn of the century has, to some degree, lost its teeth. A very good argument.
As The Heat Inc. pick Magpie-like all the cool and shiny things that take their eye, all the best bits from times past, found strew across the broad musical map of rock ‘n’ roll, and the particularly rich pickings scattered in that corner where the underground, the alternative and the outsider moves and grooves are marked here be dragons, there is a stunningly precise understanding of how their chosen sonic field works. Or should I say, used to work.
The rage of the MC5, the raw power of The Stooges, dense Dionysian Doorsiness, the uncompromising attack of Pixies, the heaviness of Nick Caves’s Birthday Party days, and even the intensity of Nirvana all bind and blend and the result is a pummelling, pulsating, squalling, savage slice of music unlike anything much you will find doing the rounds today.
All music is made standing on the shoulders of giants, but rarely are they as giant as those giants I have mentioned and, as such, “True Romance” feels like the offspring of garage rock and punk, post-punk and grunge, an unruly sonic child sent out into the world to kick up dust, kick arse and cause trouble.
Good! It’s about time.
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