Spinner Fall – 'Permutations'

Very much like the first time you heard Greg Dulli’s The Afghan Whigs, oxford’s Spinner Fall rush out of the speakers with an urgent intensity that seemingly reflects the hectored angst of their offstage lives. Opener ‘By Numbers’ bemoans the loss of subtlety and intricacy in contemporary living. More addictive is the following ‘Battle of Wills’, whose chiming guitars and pleasingly echoing vocal lines show off an early Damon Albarn-esque ability for frustrated meaning within minimisation.

Hardcore Beneath The Dreaming Spires

If your understanding of the rock offerings of Thomas Hardy’s dreaming spires of Oxford extends to Supergrass, The Unbelievable Truth or Radiohead, SF’s bludgeoning relentlessness and ability to fuse The Mars Volta prog tendencies with Mudhoney’s straight ahead proto-emo should suitably surprise and impress.

Unlike other albums released at the moment, which tend to Bowie-style bundle the most catchy/effective tracks at the beginning, the band leave the best to last, with ‘Out Of Town’ and title track ‘Permutations’ containing another level of emotional engagement and tuneful rage. The wisest often leave the best to last.

In a divided UK riven by Brexit propaganda and mainstream media-led 'terrorism' paranoia, the brittle angularity of SF's satisfyingly geometric attack resonates all the more gutterally.

On both sides of the Atlantic identity politics is decimating the populace in a timeworn divide and conquer technique. The Tea Party, Black Lives Matter, Brexit/Bremain, the 'victory' of 45, all bundled up into Daily Mail hystria - SF play frustration with this tactic back at you at full volume.

Personnel

Tim Darch (vocals/bass), Andrew Thompson (guitars) and Toby Coates (drums) have forged a sparing, dynamic, soulful rock attack that takes in the best of Yeast or ‘Repeater’-era Fugazi, and allows no slack. Spinner Fall play IAATM Presents - The Wheatsheaf on 29th March, Oxford and Klub Kakofanney - The Wheatsheaf, Oxford on 5th May.