I have a bit of soft spot for The Scratch, some would say I have a big soft spot and it lay’s between my ears! But anyone that has picked up a record by Small Faces may join my ever increasing band of misguided souls that believe going backwards is the way forward!
Rating 7/10
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Girl's World/Sweet Surprise single reviewed by Mark at Losing Today
Is there no stopping these dudes, not content with sending our hi-fi into states of unparalleled bliss with their previous visit to these pages with the stylus sizzling twin set 'critical mass' and 'dear maniac' - so good it was we're still bearing the scars. As though refusing to let off you hook St Albans finest now stump up to brand new spanking cuts in the shape of 'girls world' and 'sweet surprise' which we've just noticed is cut on a limited edition red wax 7 inch which we'll have to nail as our own in the coming days. Another faultless foray into record world, the superbly airy 'girl's world' sees them in mellower moods, still very much time slipped in the 70's though this time assuming a decidedly tasty countrified pub rock element to their creative canvas that unless we're very much mistaken sounds not unlike the Modern Lovers shimmying up to the Flamin Groovies to gouge out battered and punch drunk Faces riffs with Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds coolly heading up things at the controls. Flip the disc for the decidedly more forthright and rollicking 'sweet surprise' which it has to be said comes flying out of the traps at such a blistering pace it leaves you breathless and pinned helplessly to the far wall of your listening space, a rampant bar room bruiser that craftily tweaks and tinkers with the gung ho mentality of Stiff's finest the Damned as though on this occasion finding themselves squaring up to the Dead Boys with Pete Shelley sneakily taking up the mic amid the ensuing melee, scorching stuff.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Night Bus Or Milk Train review by Gordon Matheson in Is This Music magazine
On the surface, The Scratch could be just another indie band, but once you get past the first three or four tunes on Night Bus Or Milk Train, you realise that something a little bit special is going on here. They come across like a mildly nu-punk version of The Coral, tightly crafted guitar pop music interwoven with the odd synth or sample - not overused in the slightest. ‘Stranger’ even takes a different course and sounds very Eighties, like Midge Ure with new toys on Christmas. The guitar work is excellent, there are some damn fine riffs on this record and they seem genuinly keen to do something just a little bit different. In every verse you can hear shades of influences ranging from The Libertines to The Human League. The real gems are in the second half of the album, ‘Out Faking The Fakers’ and ‘Smell The Gas Taps’ being highlights. It’s a fine effort from the Manchester quartet, and one that sounds like things are only just beginning.
Night Bus Or Milk Train review on The Guestlist (Manchester and the North's unsigned music blog)
With rave reviews from the city's very own Clint Boon, winning XFM's unsigned competition and opening up the Versus Cancer gig in front of over 22000 people at the M.E.N arena you'd be forgiven for thinking that The Scratch are a Manchester band through and through. However, they hail from St Albans but seem to have been adopted by the city as one of their own. Luckily though their sound is not that of old school Manchester, they have taken their influences from the punkier sounds of the 70s and acts such as Primal Scream and The Rakes.
Night Bus or Milk Train is the band's second album, and one that takes full advantage of their increasingly punk rock sounds.
Throughout there is a strong sense of Britishness, not least in the opener (and recent single) Numbers. They envoke all the classic punk bands - The Clash, Sex Pistols and T-Rex but with enough modern twists to make a sound they can call their own. The album is at once edgy and popular. The previously mentioned 'Numbers' is a highlight of the album, along with 'Dial Xero', 'Dear Maniac', 'Gas Taps' and the gentler album closer 'Undercover'. These are the tracks that most successfully combine the band's raw sound with melody and good old catchiness! 'Gas Taps' echoes the sound of The Clash, heavy guitar and thrashing drums along with lyrics that might not make much sense but they stay in your head long after the song finishes. The Scratch have all the makings of a good British punk band. What is plain is the raucous energy that fills the album and I can imagine the band are a top notch live act.
Throughout there is a strong sense of Britishness, not least in the opener (and recent single) Numbers. They envoke all the classic punk bands - The Clash, Sex Pistols and T-Rex but with enough modern twists to make a sound they can call their own. The album is at once edgy and popular. The previously mentioned 'Numbers' is a highlight of the album, along with 'Dial Xero', 'Dear Maniac', 'Gas Taps' and the gentler album closer 'Undercover'. These are the tracks that most successfully combine the band's raw sound with melody and good old catchiness! 'Gas Taps' echoes the sound of The Clash, heavy guitar and thrashing drums along with lyrics that might not make much sense but they stay in your head long after the song finishes. The Scratch have all the makings of a good British punk band. What is plain is the raucous energy that fills the album and I can imagine the band are a top notch live act.
Night Bus Or Milk Train review by Will Slater on www.dieshellsuit.co.uk
The Scratch are never going to be an overly serious band, but they’re at their best when they turn the silliness down a notch, and concentrate on writing what are actually some really solid pop songs. There are hints of punk bands from over the years throughout, including Wire and The Clash, but there’s also a big, big 80s pop influence. There’s even a hint of New Romanticism and The Cure in there, as well as a sizeable chunk of 90s Britpop.
I have a sneaking suspicion they may make it quite big soon (There are no shortage of potential singles on the album) but if you fancy something a bit different in advance, it’s definitely worth heading over to their myspace page and having a listen.
I have a sneaking suspicion they may make it quite big soon (There are no shortage of potential singles on the album) but if you fancy something a bit different in advance, it’s definitely worth heading over to their myspace page and having a listen.
Night Bus Or Milk Train review by Pete Feenstra on getreadytorock.com
The Scratch have much going for them ranging from their energetic melodic punky pop to a never say die attitude that has seen them build up a significant following on the club circuit.
'Night Bus or Milk Train' is also an unusual album being a 12 song set that grows in stature not just with repeated plays, but with songs that get stronger as the album progresses. The Scratch work their way through some wry lyrical narratives topped by edgy little hooks all camouflaged in an unlikely meeting of retro 60's feel and 70's Punk energy.
Although the nicely ragged feel to the album sometimes makes 'Night Bus' sound like a work in progress, there's an organic feel to the material that neatly gathers together a compelling jumble of musical ideas and youthful energy.
And somewhere in the middle there's a handful of gems most notably 'Stranger', a song touched by the kind of observational lyrics beloved by the likes of Ray Davies from the Kinks.
Vocalist/lyricist Andy Thompson sounds almost like post modern Marc Bolan on the equally dark 'Sister Pychosis', which is neatly juxtaposed by the poppy 'Chocolate Lemonade' - a very 60's sounding piece with a very live drum sound and a catchy guitar line.
On 'Outfaking the Fakers' they shift into Stranglers territory but with a more contemporary grungy sound, with a pounding bass and chanted chorus.
The similarly structured 'Smell the Gas Taps' impressively compresses the band's style into less than two minutes of essential punk pop. And as if to show just what they are potentially capable of The Scratch finish on the beautifully judged 'Undercover' where all their band's best elements come together on a superbly produced end piece.
It's almost as if they've found the missing element while recording the album 'Night Bus or Milkman' is a promising debut with a handful of songs that will doubtless become live staples.
In fact it's the kind of album that might well be fondly remembered in a few years time if the band goes on to fulfil their potential, that currently makes 'Night Bus or Milk Train' that bit better than most of their contemporaries.
'Night Bus or Milk Train' is also an unusual album being a 12 song set that grows in stature not just with repeated plays, but with songs that get stronger as the album progresses. The Scratch work their way through some wry lyrical narratives topped by edgy little hooks all camouflaged in an unlikely meeting of retro 60's feel and 70's Punk energy.
Although the nicely ragged feel to the album sometimes makes 'Night Bus' sound like a work in progress, there's an organic feel to the material that neatly gathers together a compelling jumble of musical ideas and youthful energy.
And somewhere in the middle there's a handful of gems most notably 'Stranger', a song touched by the kind of observational lyrics beloved by the likes of Ray Davies from the Kinks.
Vocalist/lyricist Andy Thompson sounds almost like post modern Marc Bolan on the equally dark 'Sister Pychosis', which is neatly juxtaposed by the poppy 'Chocolate Lemonade' - a very 60's sounding piece with a very live drum sound and a catchy guitar line.
On 'Outfaking the Fakers' they shift into Stranglers territory but with a more contemporary grungy sound, with a pounding bass and chanted chorus.
The similarly structured 'Smell the Gas Taps' impressively compresses the band's style into less than two minutes of essential punk pop. And as if to show just what they are potentially capable of The Scratch finish on the beautifully judged 'Undercover' where all their band's best elements come together on a superbly produced end piece.
It's almost as if they've found the missing element while recording the album 'Night Bus or Milkman' is a promising debut with a handful of songs that will doubtless become live staples.
In fact it's the kind of album that might well be fondly remembered in a few years time if the band goes on to fulfil their potential, that currently makes 'Night Bus or Milk Train' that bit better than most of their contemporaries.
Night Bus Or Milk Train on www.roomthirteen.com
The ghosts of many punk/rock bands hover around this record; often there are strains of The Ramones, occasionally an injection of glam pompishness from vocals that are reminiscent of Marc Bolan and a touch of Iggy and The Stooges weaves its way through many of the heavier tunes. It’s all pretty old school in essence, but wrapped around all the retro nods is a much more contemporary veil that helps to pull a record that may have sounded old fashioned very firmly into the present day.
“Night Bus or Milk Train” is quite a difficult album to pin down; it’s often quirky and imaginative with some interesting touches. The D.I.Y ethic is very apparent, it comes through in the lo-fi production and really suits the kinetic style of the record. Strangely, indie darlings the Moldy Peaches spring to mind on some tracks and even weirder is the 60s tinged pop feel that brings to mind chart bothering ‘kids’ McFly.
There are some good tracks like ‘Dial Xero’ which has 60s kitsch pop appeal blended with the indie sweetness of the Moldy Peaches and ‘Out Faking the Fakers’ which starts with a Hell Is For Heroes style riff then dives full on into glam punk territory. The good moments on this album really stand out. There is certainly bags of potential here, and the decent tunes are really good, showing you just what this band are capable of.
“Night Bus or Milk Train” is quite a difficult album to pin down; it’s often quirky and imaginative with some interesting touches. The D.I.Y ethic is very apparent, it comes through in the lo-fi production and really suits the kinetic style of the record. Strangely, indie darlings the Moldy Peaches spring to mind on some tracks and even weirder is the 60s tinged pop feel that brings to mind chart bothering ‘kids’ McFly.
There are some good tracks like ‘Dial Xero’ which has 60s kitsch pop appeal blended with the indie sweetness of the Moldy Peaches and ‘Out Faking the Fakers’ which starts with a Hell Is For Heroes style riff then dives full on into glam punk territory. The good moments on this album really stand out. There is certainly bags of potential here, and the decent tunes are really good, showing you just what this band are capable of.
X-Ray Eyes/Brainstorm single review in The Wire magazine
by England's The Scratch is one of the most pocket-picking white guy post-punk dub dance whatsis slabs since The Pop Group's "She Is Beyond Good And Evil". And, yeah, it lacks some of that record's massiveness. but the sputzy way these clowns pile grooves together on "X-Ray Eyes", then tangle them with Beefhearty guitar slides, and strange post-glam vocals, is pretty goddamn snappy.
Undercover single review by Mike Cambell on www.whisperinandhollerin.co.uk
What ‘Undercover reminds me of most is Blur. Blur, lest we forget have written some of the greatest ballads ever (Out of Time, This is a Low, Tender, The Universal, To the End, No Distance Left to Run, I rest my case m’Lord). ‘This is the comeback / from the comedown / it is the aftershock / from the new sound’ so starts lead singer Andy over acoustic guitars. The song builds slowly to a chorus of ‘It’s the lover / You got undercover’ before they chuck in some strange whizzing electronic sounds that should spoil the whole thing but bizarrely bring a tear to my eye. What’s it about? Haven’t a fuckin’ clue but it’s marvellous and deserves to be sung back to the band by fields full of pissed people at a festival near you. Check out their website for details on getting your hands on this, you won’t regret it.
D.I.Y album review on whisperinandhollerin.co.uk
We’ve been following the progress of The Scratch with interest. Their (too) scant output so far has amounted to one 7” single and one 10” single, two records that introduced their widescreen vision, piqued our interest and then left us hungry for more. The four songs that appeared on the singles are here with an extra boot up their arses and a studio polish and sound even better than before.
‘I Relax To Spiral Scratch’ opens up the album and remains a gloriously dumb 3 minute kamikaze dive bomb of a tune. Like the Ramones and the Damned working through the Buzzcocks (well it would be with a title like that) song book on speed complete with outer space sound effects for good measure. It should be all too much but against the odds it works. Joint A side on the 7” single was ‘Trigger Finger’ and it appears here again, a spiky, shouty, trashy piece of work with howling guitars and a great spoken run through of some of Londons lowlights.
So now you’re probably ready to write them off as yet another London band with 3 chords and a whole lot of attitude. Well they’re a little more interesting than that (and they’re from Hertfordshire anyway). As their next release proved, another double A side, this time they moved into more dubby areas. ‘X-Ray Eyes' in particular goes for a serious rumble around the bass bins whilst up top a steel guitar adds a funky vibe to proceedings. In essence it resides in the same musical landscape as Kasabian's ‘Processed Beats’ (a good thing) and demands to be cranked up loud. Meanwhile ‘Brainstorm’ takes a more introspective approach utilising a more rumbling bass sound and moody Massive Attackesque electronics. Eventually a sheet of guitar cuts through the narcotic haze to take us to a disorientating finale.
Theoretically bands should not be this unrestricted. It is soon apparent that these boys have record collections you could get lost in and that they also know their way round a studio. The dance element shouldn’t be a surprise, two of their members have had minor success making dance records in the past and their electronic beat building experience is all over this record. Perhaps the culmination of all these influences and high point of the record to these ears is ‘Logical Mind’, a funky, druggy groove that moves into Stone Roses territory with a sublime jangly guitar riff. It’s loping beat and laid back guitar make for a hazy classic.
Elsewhere ‘Texture to the Flava’ moves into a more straight forward rock area and they prove once again that they’re more than comfortable in switching styles. ‘Alcohol's A Depressant’ apart from having a title that you really don’t want to hear, continues the journey into more straight forward pleasures indulging itself in a sub AC/DC riff. Whilst you wouldn’t be surprised to hear ‘Supermodel’ on the next Supergrass album (once again, no bad thing).
The Scratch, as the title of the record suggests, got tired of waiting for the music industry to give them a chance and like many artists we talk about on W&H have decided to make their own way. The fact that they’ve achieved such a diverse yet coherent set of songs and that it sounds so damn professional is to be applauded.
‘I Relax To Spiral Scratch’ opens up the album and remains a gloriously dumb 3 minute kamikaze dive bomb of a tune. Like the Ramones and the Damned working through the Buzzcocks (well it would be with a title like that) song book on speed complete with outer space sound effects for good measure. It should be all too much but against the odds it works. Joint A side on the 7” single was ‘Trigger Finger’ and it appears here again, a spiky, shouty, trashy piece of work with howling guitars and a great spoken run through of some of Londons lowlights.
So now you’re probably ready to write them off as yet another London band with 3 chords and a whole lot of attitude. Well they’re a little more interesting than that (and they’re from Hertfordshire anyway). As their next release proved, another double A side, this time they moved into more dubby areas. ‘X-Ray Eyes' in particular goes for a serious rumble around the bass bins whilst up top a steel guitar adds a funky vibe to proceedings. In essence it resides in the same musical landscape as Kasabian's ‘Processed Beats’ (a good thing) and demands to be cranked up loud. Meanwhile ‘Brainstorm’ takes a more introspective approach utilising a more rumbling bass sound and moody Massive Attackesque electronics. Eventually a sheet of guitar cuts through the narcotic haze to take us to a disorientating finale.
Theoretically bands should not be this unrestricted. It is soon apparent that these boys have record collections you could get lost in and that they also know their way round a studio. The dance element shouldn’t be a surprise, two of their members have had minor success making dance records in the past and their electronic beat building experience is all over this record. Perhaps the culmination of all these influences and high point of the record to these ears is ‘Logical Mind’, a funky, druggy groove that moves into Stone Roses territory with a sublime jangly guitar riff. It’s loping beat and laid back guitar make for a hazy classic.
Elsewhere ‘Texture to the Flava’ moves into a more straight forward rock area and they prove once again that they’re more than comfortable in switching styles. ‘Alcohol's A Depressant’ apart from having a title that you really don’t want to hear, continues the journey into more straight forward pleasures indulging itself in a sub AC/DC riff. Whilst you wouldn’t be surprised to hear ‘Supermodel’ on the next Supergrass album (once again, no bad thing).
The Scratch, as the title of the record suggests, got tired of waiting for the music industry to give them a chance and like many artists we talk about on W&H have decided to make their own way. The fact that they’ve achieved such a diverse yet coherent set of songs and that it sounds so damn professional is to be applauded.
X-Ray Eyes/Brainstorm single review on www.losingtoday.com
And staying with the retro angle, the welcome return of The Scratch. 'X-ray eyes' is the bands second release following on from their stupendous debut 'I relax to spiral scratch' late last year, with an album 'DIY' in the can and due for release any day soon this two track affair pressed up on 10 inches of wax has the band flexing their collective influential muscles to reveal a wicked grooving genius in their midst. Whereas 'Scratch' capped them as renegade punksters 'X-Ray eyes' sees them cocking a snook at the dance floor crowd, an unrelenting beauty that channels the grittier elements of the Gang of Four's trademark grind and marries it to the dub / disco crossover that Strummer and Co aimed for on the often overlooked 'Sandinista' throw in for good measure Big Audio Dynamite, a taster of Pigbag a few sly Ry Cooder sliding hooks and you have something of a dirty disco assassin that Bobby Gillespie you'd imagine would be happy to be caught in the line of fire of.
Flip over for the mooching 'Brainstorm' which hazily throbs with laid back darkly lit druggy vibes floating in the distance, not a million miles from the Shamen before they discovered E had they decided of course to remould the whole of Happy Mondays back catalogue and dispatch the baggy scene for their own, but all you want to hear at the end of the day is that it sounds like Duran Duran and the good news is that yes it sort of does had they of course ever been fed bad pills and suffered psychotic reactions, wore shades and instead of listening to Japan and Bowie in their formative years chose to listen to Japan and the Velvets. Pretty damn essential.
Flip over for the mooching 'Brainstorm' which hazily throbs with laid back darkly lit druggy vibes floating in the distance, not a million miles from the Shamen before they discovered E had they decided of course to remould the whole of Happy Mondays back catalogue and dispatch the baggy scene for their own, but all you want to hear at the end of the day is that it sounds like Duran Duran and the good news is that yes it sort of does had they of course ever been fed bad pills and suffered psychotic reactions, wore shades and instead of listening to Japan and Bowie in their formative years chose to listen to Japan and the Velvets. Pretty damn essential.
I relax to Spiral Scratch single review on www.losingtoday.com
Another record that’s nearly be worn out through constant play is this smarting debut from The Scratch for whom everyday would be locked into 1977 is they had their own way. A homage to the Buzzcocks stupendous debut ‘Spiral Scratch’ , all gritty retro fun, rumbling bass lines and set to stun three chord shocks, impossible to stay still to for any given period, a razor sharp gem of a release. Flip the disc for the stripped down holler of the frenzied mutant garage punk / disco groove of ‘Trigger finger’ which recalls the New York Dolls / Black Halos sleaze and lays it all to dust with a serious boot shaking foundation, call it a scuzzier bad assed half cousin to Radio 4 / Lomax, essential in case you needed telling.
Live at Night and Day, by James Oakwell-Scott, MD of Thomas Crown Productions
I caught up with with a new band from London called The Scratch at Night and Day Manchester, think The Clash,The Jam and The Who all rolled into one and you get The Scratch, are a high energy 4 piece that dont fail to deliver, then when I thought it couldnt get any better along come a tune called Girls World which is a piece of musical brillance and wouldn't look out of place on any radio station's playlist.
Numbers/Texture to the Flava single review in The Country Times
XFM Manchester Unsigned competition winners, St Albans band The Scratch's new single Numbers is out now on their own record label. The song from their forthcoming second album is a solid cheeky little guitar-driven song full of catchy hooks
Numbers/Texture to the Flava single review on jamesomalley.co.uk
The Scratch, judging by their logo, their photo and the sound of their music are one of these new stylish indie bands that all of the cool kids listen to - only nicely, they don’t appear to be sell outs, having stuck with an independent label. Not quite sure what ‘Numbers’ is about thematically, as one of the key lyrics is “Da, da, da, daaah, da da dah”, but its a pretty decent song. I’m going to go as far as saying I like this song. I predict big things for this band - because of their genre and “attitude” equally as much as the quality of their song.
Numbers/Texture to the Flava single review on www.tastyfanzine.org.uk
Scratch by name, scratchy by nature as the guitars scrape gratifyingly through this chirpy little track. I think I detect a Bowie influence as 'Numbers' sounds a bit like 'Suffragette City' and other Ziggy era stuff. All good in my book
Winners of XFM Manchester best unsigned band, The Scratch release their much anticipated debut and in doing so deliver us a proper punk album. Release
DIY pop/rock outfit The Scratch's somehow familiarly unfamiliar new single, 'Numbers', is a piece of wonderfully edgy pop/rock with nu-punk attitude and wholesome retro intonations. Rammed full of typically British popability but with genuine global appeal, 'Numbers' is great 'dirty rockin' pop' as only we Brits can manage - fast, raw, homely and real!!
Beautifully raw and genuine sounding, 'Numbers' has that special bite to it that so many bands either can't achieve or, wrongly, engineer out in the studio. It works very well and you just can't help joining in with the guys here and getting yer rocks off to 'Numbers'. With hints of The Jam, a touch of early Who, the street drive of The Clash and the 'now' rockin' melodic tendencies of Green Day and Bowling For Soup, The Scratch sound vibrant and kick ass cool.
Catchy and foot tappin', 'Numbers' is one of those songs that, once you've heard it, you'll recognise it again next time, even if you only hear a few bars of it - it's just a great hooky, sing-along work that's commercial as hell and pretty much a timeless gem. 'Numbers' is heavily (but without goin' overboard) guitar oriented (think Keith Richards plays punk and you'll sorta get the picture!) but the rhythm section very much play their part by providing the high-octane-fuel drive from the dark depths of the engine compartment. Vocally, The Scratch keep it honest and nicely formed - the end result is a damn fine single that could do well for this St.Albans four piece.
Beautifully raw and genuine sounding, 'Numbers' has that special bite to it that so many bands either can't achieve or, wrongly, engineer out in the studio. It works very well and you just can't help joining in with the guys here and getting yer rocks off to 'Numbers'. With hints of The Jam, a touch of early Who, the street drive of The Clash and the 'now' rockin' melodic tendencies of Green Day and Bowling For Soup, The Scratch sound vibrant and kick ass cool.
Catchy and foot tappin', 'Numbers' is one of those songs that, once you've heard it, you'll recognise it again next time, even if you only hear a few bars of it - it's just a great hooky, sing-along work that's commercial as hell and pretty much a timeless gem. 'Numbers' is heavily (but without goin' overboard) guitar oriented (think Keith Richards plays punk and you'll sorta get the picture!) but the rhythm section very much play their part by providing the high-octane-fuel drive from the dark depths of the engine compartment. Vocally, The Scratch keep it honest and nicely formed - the end result is a damn fine single that could do well for this St.Albans four piece.
Night Bus or Milk Train review by James Sykes on www.subba-cultcha.com
Winners of XFM Manchester best unsigned band, The Scratch release their much anticipated debut and in doing so deliver us a proper punk album. Released on their own label Ponyland Records, Night bus or Milktrain embodies everything that punk music is about. In a time when major labels are throwing money at mediocre bands in an effort to discover the ‘next big thing’ you have to take your hat off to The Scratch who have done it all by themselves.
It’s not hard to see why they have built up such a loyal following on the London circuit or why a certain Clint Boon thinks they could go all the way. It took me approximately 30 seconds into the first song and current single Numbers to think that Mr Boon could be onto something. Night bus or Milk Train is a blistering set of songs that fuses retro and new wave punk and leaves me with a smile on my face after one listen.
It is the simplicity of The Scratch, which makes them so appealing. They might not be as lyrically strong as other bands around at the moment but who needs flowery Dickensian verses when The Scratch have songs such as Dial Xero and Critical Mass that will linger in your sub-conscious long after your first listen.
It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but if you’re bored of the same old thing and have got an itch for something different, The Scratch could be the band for you.
It’s not hard to see why they have built up such a loyal following on the London circuit or why a certain Clint Boon thinks they could go all the way. It took me approximately 30 seconds into the first song and current single Numbers to think that Mr Boon could be onto something. Night bus or Milk Train is a blistering set of songs that fuses retro and new wave punk and leaves me with a smile on my face after one listen.
It is the simplicity of The Scratch, which makes them so appealing. They might not be as lyrically strong as other bands around at the moment but who needs flowery Dickensian verses when The Scratch have songs such as Dial Xero and Critical Mass that will linger in your sub-conscious long after your first listen.
It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but if you’re bored of the same old thing and have got an itch for something different, The Scratch could be the band for you.
Night Bus or Milk Train review by Natasha Wynarczyk on www.tastyfanzine.org.uk
Releasing their second album on their own record label Ponyland Records, after having been greatly championed by XFM’s Clint Boon. ‘Night bus or milk train’ is heavily influenced by the 1970s punk scene as well as 90s ‘Madchester’; front man Andy’s voice is half Johnny Rotten/half Ian Brown, an interesting combination but one which works. This is an album which is best enjoyed at a loud volume to give proper credit to the punky guitar riffs and background yelping.
New single ‘numbers’ has echoes of early Manic Street Preachers, starting quietly then building up via a fantastic guitar crescendo to an angry chorus full of lyrics which James Dean Bradfield would be proud of writing. ‘Sister psychosis’ is their more mellow acoustic song, a jangly psychedelic ballad which slightly reminds me of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. If the chilis weren’t so rubbish. ‘Out faking the fakers’ is a return to their original garage punk roots; Andy furiously sneers and spits his way through the song, his voice leaping majestically over a crisp guitar riff.
Overall, ‘Night Bus or milk train’ is a fine indie punk album. Whilst they draw greatly on their punk influences the album is simply not a rehash of a music genre that saw its finest hour thirty years ago. It’s an album that is very fresh, and very now, and one which indicates exactly how much they deserved their title of ‘best unsigned band’.
New single ‘numbers’ has echoes of early Manic Street Preachers, starting quietly then building up via a fantastic guitar crescendo to an angry chorus full of lyrics which James Dean Bradfield would be proud of writing. ‘Sister psychosis’ is their more mellow acoustic song, a jangly psychedelic ballad which slightly reminds me of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. If the chilis weren’t so rubbish. ‘Out faking the fakers’ is a return to their original garage punk roots; Andy furiously sneers and spits his way through the song, his voice leaping majestically over a crisp guitar riff.
Overall, ‘Night Bus or milk train’ is a fine indie punk album. Whilst they draw greatly on their punk influences the album is simply not a rehash of a music genre that saw its finest hour thirty years ago. It’s an album that is very fresh, and very now, and one which indicates exactly how much they deserved their title of ‘best unsigned band’.
Night Bus Or Milk Train review by Peter J Brown aka toxic pete on www.toxicpete.com
I recently reviewed The Scratch's single, 'Numbers', and observed that The Scratch were, 'wonderfully edgy pop/rock with nu-punk attitude and wholesome retro intonations'. Based on one just track that could have proved to have been a risky thing to say. But it wasn't - rather, it turned out to be quite prophetic coz this debut album, 'Night Bus Or Milk Train', only strengthens that initial observation; that The Scratch are something very special in all those aforementioned ways!!
'Night Bus Or Milk Train' is stunning! Rammed with great songs, full of energetic variety and executed with superb attention to detail - faultless, flawless, breathtaking and absorbing! Need I say more? 'Night Bus Or Milk Train' is remarkably refined and unbelievably .
The Scratch just give off a massively good vibe and entertain the listener seemingly without any real effort. It all sounds so easy and so natural. Hey, these guys have what it takes and judging by 'Night Bus Or Milk Train' they're ready to take on all-comers - The Scratch are up for it - The Scratch can do it!!
I love everything The Scratch are doing - hey, that's weird, I'm not really into 'commercial' music. But, The Scratch are just so spirited, so convincing, so bloody unnervingly infectious and unputdownable. This is a classy album that'll actually suit many tastes and perhaps that's where The Scratch do actually make a difference; 'Night Bus Or Milk Train' straddles genre, ignores age barriers and sticks two fingers up at commercial banality!
'Night Bus Or Milk Train' by The Scratch is genuinely the mutt's nuts!!
'Night Bus Or Milk Train' is stunning! Rammed with great songs, full of energetic variety and executed with superb attention to detail - faultless, flawless, breathtaking and absorbing! Need I say more? 'Night Bus Or Milk Train' is remarkably refined and unbelievably .
The Scratch just give off a massively good vibe and entertain the listener seemingly without any real effort. It all sounds so easy and so natural. Hey, these guys have what it takes and judging by 'Night Bus Or Milk Train' they're ready to take on all-comers - The Scratch are up for it - The Scratch can do it!!
I love everything The Scratch are doing - hey, that's weird, I'm not really into 'commercial' music. But, The Scratch are just so spirited, so convincing, so bloody unnervingly infectious and unputdownable. This is a classy album that'll actually suit many tastes and perhaps that's where The Scratch do actually make a difference; 'Night Bus Or Milk Train' straddles genre, ignores age barriers and sticks two fingers up at commercial banality!
'Night Bus Or Milk Train' by The Scratch is genuinely the mutt's nuts!!
Live at Night and Day, by John Robb, of Goldblade and author of of 'The Stone Roses & the resurrection of British pop'
The St Albans four piece dig deep into the Buzzcocks/ T.Rex canyon of furious guitar pop. It's a rich seam and one that's paying them dividends. They have the same kind of historic vocals, witty lyrics and tearaway guitars that made their two prime influences two of the best pop bands this country has ever produced. This sliver of guitar gold dominated their sound and their set is stuffed full of great tunes. It can only be a matter of time before someone takes some notice of this hard working band.
Critcal Mass/Dear Maniac single reveiwed by Mark in Losing Today
The Scratch "Critical Mass" (Ponyland). Last appearing in these very pages via their awesome 10 inch "X-Ray Eyes" (Missive 35) the follow up of course to their storming Buzzcock-ian debut "I relax to spiral scratch" (missive 26 in case you're taking notes) though we are slightly miffed and grumbling aplenty at missing out on their full length "night bus or milk train" and the "numbers" single that they managed to squeeze out between then and now - alas though its not for us to shout the odds - the barstids.
That said disagreeable muttering aside what better way to re-acquaint ourselves with St Albans finest foursome than with two spanking slabs of the - to be filed under the dogs bollocks - part of the listening section Still excavating the refined retro sounds of the 70's "Critical Mass" is a searing slice of bad boogie all at once excitable, energetic and effervescent, laced with more hooks than a butchers walk in freezer this blistering babe swaggers, swoons and will no doubt shag your girlfriend when you back is turned such is its smouldering high impact uber coolness. Dashed with a pristine power driven pop chassis replete with licks lifted from the arse pocket of Ronson (that'll be Mick as opposed to Mark) "Critical Mass" is so blatantly out of step with current trads and trends that it's disturbingly refreshing like some coming together fusion of New York’s Ambulance LTD and the Crimea, the Scratch are
literally in a different time zone and pissing through the fence over the oncoming competition. Hell we haven't even mentioned the oh so "Suffragette City" era Bowie references. A killer thing.
Flip cut ""dear maniac" is even better, no fat or fillers here these kids are
literally shitting transistor trouncing tunes by the hundredweight. Featuring crookedly skewif codas doused in odd art pop / new wave nuances sourced from vintage moments found on late 70's era TOTP re-runs - think Devoto meets Pirroni but with the impish mindset of Stewart Copeland's Klark Klent alter ego all converging to eke out a disorienting but devilishly dishy slice of awkward sonic sea sickness that possesses about its wares subtle Bolan-esque shimmies before erupting into a frenzied but mightily admirable anxiety riddled attrition lashed finale. Absolutely feckin’ essential.
stunning
mark
That said disagreeable muttering aside what better way to re-acquaint ourselves with St Albans finest foursome than with two spanking slabs of the - to be filed under the dogs bollocks - part of the listening section Still excavating the refined retro sounds of the 70's "Critical Mass" is a searing slice of bad boogie all at once excitable, energetic and effervescent, laced with more hooks than a butchers walk in freezer this blistering babe swaggers, swoons and will no doubt shag your girlfriend when you back is turned such is its smouldering high impact uber coolness. Dashed with a pristine power driven pop chassis replete with licks lifted from the arse pocket of Ronson (that'll be Mick as opposed to Mark) "Critical Mass" is so blatantly out of step with current trads and trends that it's disturbingly refreshing like some coming together fusion of New York’s Ambulance LTD and the Crimea, the Scratch are
literally in a different time zone and pissing through the fence over the oncoming competition. Hell we haven't even mentioned the oh so "Suffragette City" era Bowie references. A killer thing.
Flip cut ""dear maniac" is even better, no fat or fillers here these kids are
literally shitting transistor trouncing tunes by the hundredweight. Featuring crookedly skewif codas doused in odd art pop / new wave nuances sourced from vintage moments found on late 70's era TOTP re-runs - think Devoto meets Pirroni but with the impish mindset of Stewart Copeland's Klark Klent alter ego all converging to eke out a disorienting but devilishly dishy slice of awkward sonic sea sickness that possesses about its wares subtle Bolan-esque shimmies before erupting into a frenzied but mightily admirable anxiety riddled attrition lashed finale. Absolutely feckin’ essential.
stunning
mark
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