The Binnacle List

...Till Beaten Chins EP

Written by: PP on 18/12/2013 21:16:36

Copenhagen, Denmark based The Binnacle List play the sort of fuzzy alternative rock that was all the rage during early to mid 90s with Superchunk and Weezer at the forefront, who were influenced by seminal pioneers Hüsker Dü. Their debut EP "...Till Beaten Chins" therefore carries a similarly warm, vibrant feeling to its soundscape, making it at times a joyous, at times a noisy listen, juxtaposing the two elements together in a convincing manner.

While intro track "Down The Line" does little to get you excited about the rest of the EP, already track two, "Musical Fascism", shows how fun and playful this band can be, with a garage-flavored, bright and upbeat sound that recalls especially Superchunk but also draws parallels to some other bands I've recently reviewed, namely Lawnmower and B. Hamilton. "Shovels And Picks" then is more Weezer and Pixies combined, here injecting a dose of indie rock into the mix, while still keeping things delightfully fuzzy and noisy to keep up the 90s vibes. Likewise, both "At The Binnacle" and "The Listener" are more traditional alternative rock tracks, with especially the latter drawing hefty doses of inspiration from The Smashing Pumpkins melodies, though with a stronger melodic ring to their guitars than said band.

While the middle tracks are decent, it is "The Listener" and "Musical Fascism" where The Binnacle List shine. They are very different stylistically, with the latter relying on bright punk more than the alternative rock tuned "The Listener", but they both work equally good. Which means The Binnacle List have a choice ahead of them. For their next recordings, should they go more alternative rock or more fuzz rock? Personally, I think the playful tunes of "Musical Fascism" is where it's at, so let's hope for some more bright melodies filled with warmth to their sound.

7

Download: Musical Fascism
For the fans of: Superchunk, Weezer, Hüsker Dü, Lawnmower, B. Hamilton, Pixies
Listen: Facebook

Release date 01.05.2013
Self-Released

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