Photography by John Kane
How to describe the sound of Pirate Sons? Well take a certain dose of The White Stripes and add it to a flavoursome vat of some The Black Keys, Dr Feelgood, and The Black Crowes and you have the core of what makes up their sound and the exciting EP 233U. The four track release is a dirt clad stomp of untainted rock ‘n’ roll, an often bruising and incendiary confrontation which always lights the touch paper to insatiable garage rock bred revelry and unbridled satisfaction.
Originally a duo based in Wellington, New Zealand, the now Scottish based trio of a Kiwi, an Englishman and a Scot, are poised to burst out from their Edinburgh setting to a wider recognition with their debut release. Already the band has earned an imposing reputation for their incendiary live performances which has seen them alongside the likes of The Fire And I and The Minutes, the band continually giving everyone a run for their money. The EP has all the elements to place the threesome in the concentrated gaze of the UK rock scene, and the band itself the confidence and swagger to keep it burning.
Opening track Dirty, Dirty Rascals barely lays down its singular riff before unleashing a full stomp of aural wantonness, the song a
tidy yet lawless slab of enterprise and insatiable hunger taking the senses on a ride of riotous adventure. With a strong contagious bassline and feisty flames of sonic taunting from the guitars, the track leads the passions on a charge of boisterous mischief with crafty rhythms framing and carving the exploits for greater persuasion.
The following Foolish wraps its riffs and melodic potency in an even stronger blues seeded blaze whilst the vocals snatch at some searing heavy metal tones but save themselves with a touch of belligerence to their coaxing. It is a sizzling mix which attached to the again teasing sonic scorching of the guitar only ignites further hunger for sound and release.
The Last Days Of Robert Johnson is a explosive romp which takes its time to get up to full energy but is deliberate in its brewing of a presence which makes every second of its impending climatic exploit one to savour and feed upon. Eventually the song unloads the pent up energy and greed through intensive and riveting white hot crescendos which spark equally impacting heat in the appetite of the listener. As throughout the release the guitars have a raw and dishevelled sound which lights the ear further whilst the melodic strokes of keys enhance the invention and thrills further.
Final song Long Gone took and is still taking time to convince, though there is nothing openly disagreeable about its persuasion. With a slow saunter across the ear and vocals which equally do not rush to find a connection, the track does not spark any strong reaction or a sense of fire inside like the other three tracks. At its heart it is a pleasing and well-crafted piece but surrounded by less successful ideas and results, though the fact that the lead in to the chorus is a dead ringer to the core hook of the Eric Idle Python featured song Always Look on the Bright Side of Life raises a broad smile and an unintended contribution by this listener. The song still makes a more than decent end to a great debut though and has plenty to continue the promise and now in place hunger for what follows from Pirate Sons in the future.
If you have fervour for blues tinged rock ‘n’ roll made with devilry by honest hands unconcerned with clean cut and ultimately passionless presentation, than the 233U EP is a piece of devil bred pleasure just ripe for consumption.
http://www.facebook.com/piratesons
http://piratesons.bandcamp.com
8/10
RingMaster 03/06/2013
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