EP Reviews by Mark Bayross and F Piralla
Review by Mark Bayross
For a Warp Records band, Broadcast are a decidedly lo-fi proposition. The Birmingham trio inspired much critical superlative when their debut album “The Noise Made By People” hit the shelves, and the forthcoming follow-up will probably do the same in some quarters.
However, on the strength of this six-track taster (of which only lead track will appear on the album), I could go either way. PENDULUM doesn’t help itself by plodding along at a commendable pace but omitting any semblance of tune, although the eerie SMALL SONG IV is satisfyingly creepy.
The shuffling instrumentals ONE HOUR EMPIRE and VIOLENT PLAYGROUND don’t add much to the cause, while the collage of bleeps and whirrs that makes up MINUS TWO sounds like a malfunctioning Commodore 64, although that may be the idea. Intentional or not, it’s still unlistenable bollocks, I’m afraid.
The best song is probably STILL FEELS, which manages to find a balance between tuneful, noisy and interesting, so hopefully it’s more representative of the album. The rest meanders between indulgent and twee – not a great combination.
Review by F Piralla
Broadcast have now released PENDULUM, a six track EP that precedes their second album HAHA SOUND due to be released in August 2003.
An attempt to create a unique sound, which resulted in the production of an ensemble of retro pop mixed with technologic rock. Suitable as a soundtrack to an avant-guard feminist film of the early 70s, PENDULUM is not easy to understand or to listen to. Five of the tracks contained in the EP are exclusive to the new album and MINUS TWO is the result of a unique collaboration with the Birmingham Electro Acoustic Sound Theatre and produced by Richard Whitelaw. The tracks are not quite discernable from one another, but if I had to choose a favourite it would be PENDULUM as it’s the one most similar to a song.
