To The Bones
Duke Type A

Type: Album Release date: 15/09/2008

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by Kev Eddy [Edit this content] ▾ 2 comments 11:24 October 8th, 2008

Ideas. They come to some constantly, from all angles, like flashes of inspiration; to others less often. Neither is better or worse than the other – its simply produces different results.

It’s obvious from the get-go that that the creative minds behind To The Bones fall firmly into the former camp. From the frenetic intro to opener ‘Judith’, it’s plainly obvious that this band have a lot of ideas. And then more ideas. And some more on top. Followed up with a few more ideas, just in case.

In one way, it’s fantastic: you never quite know where this album’s going to take you. One second you might be tapping along to something that sounds a bit like the Pixies filtered through No Age-style distortion, and in the next you’re suddenly listening to something which is eerily reminiscent of the Sisters of Mercy hanging out with Black Flag. It’s an exhilarating ride.

For approximately four songs, anyway. After that point, it all gets a bit wearying – a little like being subjected to a teenage party DJ with ADHD who gets inspired every 30 seconds to change the track. While the ideas themselves aren’t bad, the way they’ve been jammed together makes this album feel just too scattergun: like a thousand ideas squashed into half an hour with little care and attention.

Indeed, it’s when the album allows itself to open out a little more and develop those ideas that it truly shines. Songs like ‘Space Helmet’ ‘Ginza Blackjack’ and closer ‘To The Fucking Bones’ all rein in on the genre-jumping, and are all the more successful for it.

For a first attempt, this is not a bad album – but then, it’s not really a finished piece of work either. There’s almost a sense that the band felt they had to include every riff, concept and funny little noise they’ve come up with, just in case they never get the chance to put it down on tape again. Judging by the best of the album, that’s not something they should have to worry about, if they just spent a bit more time developing all those ideas. It's an encouraging start, nonetheless.

To The Bones 5 / 10

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Duke Type A

One of the best things that ever happened to me happened one day in the early 80’s. I bought a Kit Kat, one with four bars-not two. Kit Kats are ok as far as they go in a workaday snack bar kind of a way; but this one was different. There had clearly been a problem in the Kit Kat factory and when I bit into it, it was almost pure chocolate with just the occasional biscuity crumb. The result was perfection, a genuine chocolate hit with hidden nuggets of delight just waiting to catch you by surprise; I exaggerate but it was good. They should have made more.
There in a nutshell, or rather a foil wrapper is the story of Duke Type A.
There are clearly a variety of rock references here, some more obvious than others, but why should that invoke criticism? The masterstroke that To The Bones have pulled off is to throw in these unexpected snippets without ever sounding derivative. Listening to the album again it can only make you smile to hear the space rock or even Status Quo (please don't let put you off-it fits!) references. I would call this a true post-punk album, which unlike punk acknowledges the merit in what has gone before. This is a generation that has grown up free of punk dogma or music tribalism. The strange noises and riffs that so offend the reviewer are almost reminiscent of hip hop samples and you get the feeling that to the bones may have an Amnesiac or a Meddle in them as their waistlines grow and their hair recedes but this album is 100% authentic unadulterated rock.
So, there is a lot going on here, but why not? Duke type A could have been produced into something much more mainstream with the edges rounded off; and you might not like, it all, but it's never boring. (8/10)

banjoboy | 10 Oct '08, 18:19 | X | Reply

Interesting...

...this album also got BBC Radio One Alternative Album of the Week by D.j Steve Lamacq, also 7/10 by the NME, 8/10 by Rocksound Magazine and 4/5 by The Fly.

Purplewizard | 9 Mar '09, 20:41 | X | Reply