Rising from the ashes of bands such as Brighton’s Scuttle, Navajo Code have achieved a hell of a lot for a band that played their first gig (incidentally, with Planes Mistaken For Stars) just 18 months ago. Infact, the band had only chalked up 15 gigs in their first 15 months before partaking in a US tour in June this year – not bad work if you can get it. On top of that, this CD – released on Firefly in the UK – is coming out on No Idea in the US. Add some Radio 1 airplay and some kind words in the national music press, and you’ll understand why such a prestigious label is helping out.
It’s pretty easy to see why the band have attracted all this attention. Their choppy, shouty style references the likes of PMFS and the likes of Red Animal War, while still sounding like a whole host of British bands. Tracks like the ferocious ‘Donald Crowhurst 1968’ and ‘Saturday Night Wrists’ have thumping drums and guitar lines which buzz throughout. The vocals are particularly dramatic and there’s an urgency well picked up in John Hannon’s production. ‘Hand Brake Turns For Heaven’ is indicative of a promising band destined for better things, making ‘remove.repair.replace’ worth your pennies when it’s released later this year.
www.navajocodemusic.com
Firefly/No Idea
Paul