newsletters

The Culprit - '...The Culprit' (Not On Your Radio Records) Print E-mail
CD Reviews
Written by Russ P   
Tuesday, 22 June 2010 06:00

The-Culprit-The-Culprit176pxHarmonics ring out like Cheap Trick's 'Clock Strikes Ten'. A tight drum production kicks out a hip hop beat and extreme auto-tuned vocals complete the pop R&B illusion. I hate it. It must be something of a piss-take as the band quickly discards this short intro piece and launches head first into 'Blackball', which resumes something more like a normal service. Still there's something about the band, which seems a little mismatched. Like Simon Le Bon singing for The Automatic or Nickelback. I don't know. Maybe I'll get used to it. Only time will tell. 'Kill Or Cure' doesn't change my opinion any but reinforces it. The effect is most notable in the synth-heavy choruses and in the vocals. It isn't necessarily a drawback - who wouldn't want a killer Duran Duran chorus?

 

I'm very much a fan of eclectic sounding bands that like to mix up their influences just as Heston Blumenthal likes serving up bacon and egg ice cream. But with 'Reboot' I'm still struggling to reconcile the myriad sounds. It's true that the track eventually settles down into a hard rock genre song but the intro is all over the place by turns sounding like Roni Size and It Bites.

 

'What Is Love' is somewhat Asia-like which may not be all that surprising when you get your head around that this soft rock tune is actually a Howard Jones cover. It's undoubtedly a great song but unlike other successful cross-genre covers like Alien Ant Farm's 'Smooth Criminal' for example this one I can imagine only hearing the next time I'm on hold waiting to discuss my technical problems with 'Terry' from Bangalore.

 

'Curveball' proves to be no such thing. By now the band's sound is defined and it's beginning to wash over me but 'Dilute To Taste' and especially the final track 'Birthmark' piques my interest.

 

So, for those of us who can't afford to eat at The Fat Duck why not try out this particular concoction for free at the band's website. And, if you tip the waiter, you can even get a takeaway for five English pounds. Tasty.

 

 

http://www.theculprit.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/theculprit1

http://notonyourradio.com/