january 2005, online e-zine
Gay for Johnny Depp - Erotically Charged Dance Songs for the Desperate
Reviewed: 31st January 2005
Having released this over six months ago, it is hard to understand why it escaped Punktastics radar for so long having been released on one of the foremost labels in the UK, Firefly. The four piece constructed from certain members of Garrison and Instruction have created a four track EP which is as much complete madness as it is utter genius. Sounding like the diseased offspring of ‘Daughters’ and ‘The Blood Brothers’ it creates an unnerving atmosphere from start to finish with the constant barrage of noise and distortion that comes the way of the listener.
Lasting a mere 10.39, it actually seems half that as it doesn’t let up a notch with opener ‘Kill the cool kids’ beginning in frantic and stylised fashion. While sounding like a musical metaphor for a descent into insanity it simultaneously shits over their rivals essentially sticking two fingers up at the doubters. ‘Lights Out’ begins with a similarly frenzied riff before lighter sections are finally introduced and proves the standout amongst the quartet on show. ‘She said “I like this one”’ proves the closest thing to a more traditional song on display as political overtones and the lyric “freedom is slavery” make a lasting impact. ‘At least be a target’ continues where the former left off while ‘He loved it so much he went mad’ proves a rather disturbing closer with the constant repetition proving something altogether more sinister, if that is possible.
The vocals are executed well, everything is tightly performed, and Gay for Johnny Depp is one of the finest damn names I think I have ever heard. This is the kind of release that keeps you believing that not everything is sugar coated in our punk rock world, and with ‘Erotically Charged Dance Songs for the Desperate’ we have found the biggest sarcastic wave to date for all other ‘art-punk’ fans out there.
Jay
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