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THIS SITE HAS BEEN ARCHIVED AND CLOSED.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.

Charling

Shock : Smack

Label:

swijetilleka by Sajini Wijetilleka May 13th, 2002

A band who started out jamming to Nirvana covers should not be underestimated. A known example; the Aussie rock giants Silverchair.

And a jam is what starts the proceedings, an instrumental jam. The 'Charlintro'. Chugging guitars bring in the 'Fat', which has a Kid Galahad-cum-Vex Red feel to it, minus the polished production. Regretfully, the band use the predictable, 'quiet-loud-quiet' formula with over generosity here, leading to a song that would be 16 times better if half the length. 'Rude Chocolate Girl' has a real Greenday feel to it, and although I am known for hating Greenday with a passion, this is truly likeable ska-punk.

My Menswe@r obsession of yore is duly re-alighted with 'Numb' with the mad drum rolls and attitude-packed vocals of Thom coexisting in aural harmony with a guitar solo to be proud of. This is certainly the strongest track so far, by a mile. Things seem to get better and better, or so it seems. The Tetra Splendour similarities with maracas to boot are seen onthe intro to 'Caramel', which turns out to be a likeable Feeder-esque mood song.

Second great track, is the funky-jazzy-bluesy 'R.I.F.F.T.'** The song that the present day Incubus would like to make. Funky riffs close the proceedings, juxtaposed alternatively with more metallic ones, on 'Clone', which is a fitting third highlight to a most promising demo cd. Why aren't these guys signed now??

  • 7
    Sajini Wijetilleka's Score
Log-in to rate this record out of 10
Share on
   
Love DiS? Become a Patron of the site here »


LATEST


  • 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


  • Glastonbury 2019 preview playlist + ten alternative must sees



Left-arrow

DJ Shadow

You Can't Go Home Again

Mobback
1782

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

Mobforward
Right-arrow


LATEST

    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
  • Festival Review


    Way Out East: DiS Does Sharpe Festival 2019

  • 106135
MORE


    Interview


    Ace of Bass: DiS Meets Royal Blood

  • 97097
  • feature


    DiS meets At the Drive-In

  • 12223

    feature


    A Month in Records: August 2008

  • 33467
  • feature


    Nicky Wire on the press, Shirley Bassey, and th...

  • 50002

    Discography Reassessed


    Oeuvre Here: An 18 Album Voyage Through Ringo S...

  • 100438
  • Interview


    Life, Death and Broken Bells - DiS meets James ...

  • 82768

    In Depth


    Fade to black: DiS meets The Horrors

  • 48012
  • feature


    Radiohead's In Rainbows: the fans' verdict

  • 27997
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