Ever get the feeling an album’s telling in-jokes that you’re just not getting? Edinburgh’s BRITNEY are the self-confessed “obnoxious and noisy” genre-bending outfit that are quite clearly the masters of balderdash.
Zombie apocalypse or just layered humming to test your patience? The intro to opener ‘Fully Ben’ certainly starts proceedings on the same foot as they finish – unsubstantiated noise. ‘Sneezefic’ is that familiar cacophony you hear when you’ve gate-crashed a party that plays nothing you actually like, while the grating thump of ‘Witch Bucket’ refuses to offer any solace.
The incoherent shrieks of vocalist Stewart McLachlan must be electric in a live atmosphere, but when you’re propped up in bed after a heavy Friday night with a glass of water and a Berocca, you’ll regret spinning this. The first few notes of ‘H-142’ even sound as if Madness’ ‘One Step Beyond’ is about to salvage your sanity from the brink, but yet again the onslaught of flustered pandemonium continues – even the most rebellious ska doesn’t hold a candle to the chaos here. Coming in at the 1:51 mark, however, it’s a nicely brief migraine.
Someone somewhere in the depths of the skinhead-punk-acid-grunge realms will appreciate this incomparably fucked-up burst of energy through ‘Sleep Now Dog Man’. Any hopes of a decent racy electric solo in ‘Sonseed’ are crushed within seconds by truly bonkers nonsense, but should you find yourself in need of a good caterwauling to pass the time, ‘Boss Moggy’ is your companion. While the album closes on two rather faint glimmers of structured prospects of ‘I.I.A.H.S.W.E.S.’ and ‘3DPD’, there’s no living down the other 10 abominations.
It’s highly doubtful BRITNEY will give two hoots what critics have to say – they’re not out for top marks or gold stars. That nonchalance is admirable, which is possibly ‘BRITN3Y’s most endearing facet.
2/5
’BRITN3Y’ by BRITNEY is out now via Superstar Destroyer Records.
BRITNEY links: Facebook|Twitter|Bandcamp
Words by Ali Cooper (@AliZombie_)
