Friday, March 14, 2008

Album Review - Witch Hats

Witch Hats – Cellulite Soul
[In Fidelity; 01/03/2008]


Every year, there’s a band that everybody holds on the tip of their tongues. In the music circles of Australia, Witch Hats are no doubt the band we’re talking about here. The Melbourne quartet renders a bold mentality and an abundance of raw noise with their debut offering.

Cellulite Soul is a brooding affair that stands up and asks to be counted. Although the opening note of ‘Before I Weigh’ starts off with sound very similar to that of Sonic Youth circa Bad Moon Rising, things quickly shift, with the track transforming into a disjointed haunting cacophony that rolls through the entire album. ‘Climbing Up Yr Cable’ is about the catchiest number out of this kin of dissonance, with its busy instrumentation and frontman Kris Buscombe wailing “I climbing up your cable, to spill my guts under your table.”

Witch Hats are a band with attitude and furthermore, a band with a certain edge. Cellulite Soul is a dark representation of music that - at one time - was probably played in the local pub only to be taken to somewhere a little more ominous. Probably a rat infested shelter for the homeless.

If The Birthday Party ever instilled melody within their punk cannon, then chances are they would have come up with something similar to what Witch Hats have formed. It’s not as haunting as their influences, but it holds enough gloom to strike a chord.


By Simon K

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Fuck. I really want this album...