Birds of Paradise EP,
The Birds of ParadisePress releases can often be a somewhat tedious affair, what with all the gubbins that usually accompany them about how they are the new band X or successor to great band of days gone by, but The Birds of Paradise went for a different direction and I was instantly intrigued by the six (!) piece, and I quote… “Birds of Paradise broke four microphones, a keyboard stand, 3 cymbals, a snare and an arm at their first ever gig and were subsequently banned for life. Boy George was there. He was their first true fan.” Good god, these guys sound like something else…
And thankfully, all seventeen minutes of the music spread across three tracks is an absolute joy to behold. The whole episode feels like some type of joyous car crash as it veers across the road scaring you witless as the onslaught comes and goes with some ingenious arrangements and vocal tracks. It’s hardcore punk but not as we know it kids. Opening track ‘Ornine Utopia’ is possibly the best of the three as it incorporates everything from an electronic opening before moments of brutal noise are blended into the serene tranquillity of laid-back silence. It sweeps along seamlessly and bodes more than well for the future. ‘Arriving + Leaving’ is similar and dares to include a drum solo at the end, while final track ‘Black Biro Lines on her Thigh’ compounds it all by including an extremely funky jazz section in the middle before ending it on the kind of dank dankness that any metal band would wet their flowing locks over.
I had heard the name Birds of Paradise bandied about before, but knew absolutely nothing about them. Now I know them, I’ll be keeping an extremely close eye and I suggest that you all do the same to, because these guys are the future.
Jay
www.thebirdsofparadise.com
