Logo
DiS Needs You: Save our site »
  • Logo_home2
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • In Photos
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Search
  • Community
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • Blog
  • Community

THIS SITE HAS BEEN ARCHIVED AND CLOSED.

Please join the conversation over on our new forums »

If you really want to read this, try using The Internet Archive.

The Barbs

The Importance Of Being Evil/Alien Abducted

Label: Mother Tongue Release Date: 16/02/2004

Mike_Diver by Mike Diver January 19th, 2004

Snarling boy-girl vocals and ever-so-slightly camp punk-horror backing music make for an intriguing mix on this double A-side offering from London quartet The Barbs. ‘The Importance Of Being Evil’, thematically, is comparable to epic miserablists Murder By Death, but its musical kin is, without a doubt, the likes of Zombina And The Skeletones and The Misfits *at their most mischievous. Or maybe even *Busted, if their snotty older sister took over on vocals. ‘Alien Abducted’ meanwhile is as silly as its title suggests – all Mulder and Scully nonsense that’ll have those with little pop-punk patience reaching for the off switch. But, whilst longevity and critical acclaim clearly aren’t on The Barbs’ agenda, they really are fun whilst they last. Unfortunately, that’ll be about as long as a rubber dingy on a bed of nails.

  • 5
    Mike Diver's Score
Log-in to rate this record out of 10
Share on
   
Love DiS? Become a Patron of the site here »


LATEST


  • Drowned in Sound's Albums of the Year 2025


  • Why Music Journalism Matters in 2024


  • Drowned in Sound is back!


  • Drowned in Sound's 21 Favourite Albums of the Year: 2020


  • Drowned in Sound to return as a weekly newsletter


  • Lykke Li's Sadness Is A Blessing



Left-arrow

Evader

Leaves & Acorns EP

Mobback
5433

The Vines at Camden Electric Ballroom, Camden, Thu 19 Feb

Mobforward
Right-arrow


LATEST

    news


    Drowned in Sound's Albums of the Year 2025

  • 106149
  • news


    Why Music Journalism Matters in 2024

  • 106145

    news


    Drowned in Sound is back!

  • 106143
  • news


    Drowned in Sound's 21 Favourite Albums of the Y...

  • 106141

    news


    Drowned in Sound to return as a weekly newsletter

  • 106139
  • Playlist


    Lykke Li's Sadness Is A Blessing

  • 106138

    Festival Preview


    Glastonbury 2019 preview playlist + ten alterna...

  • 106137
  • Interview


    A Different Kind Of Weird: dEUS on The Ideal Crash

  • 106136
MORE


    news


    Q1 Digest: Most Read and Editor's Recommended R...

  • 94692
  • Mixtape


    Drowned in Spotify: A vast selection of DiS-cur...

  • 83031

    DiScover


    DiScover: Lykke Li

  • 36032
  • news


    16 Most Read Articles We Published In 2016

  • 104323

    Interview


    From The Basement On A Television: DiS talks to...

  • 50010
  • review


    No Age - Weirdo Rippers

  • 24750

    feature


    DiS is 6: Our 66, the top six

  • 95297
  • Interview


    Best Case Scenario: DiS Meets dEUS

  • 97106
MORE

Drowned in Sound
  • DROWNED IN SOUND
  • HOME
  • SITE MAP
  • NEWS
  • IN DEPTH
  • IN PHOTOS
  • RECORDS
  • RECOMMENDED RECORDS
  • ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
  • FESTIVAL COVERAGE
  • COMMUNITY
  • MUSIC FORUM
  • SOCIAL BOARD
  • REPORT ERRORS
  • CONTACT US
  • JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
  • FOLLOW DiS
  • GOOGLE+
  • FACEBOOK
  • TWITTER
  • SHUFFLER
  • TUMBLR
  • YOUTUBE
  • RSS FEED
  • RSS EMAIL SUBSCRIBE
  • MISC
  • TERM OF USE
  • PRIVACY
  • ADVERTISING
  • OUR WIKIPEDIA
© 2000-2025 DROWNED IN SOUND