Being recognized for having a ‘shtick’ can be hindering for contemporary acts most times, ultimately subjecting themselves to the toppling heckles of their perceived innovators of a supposed scene, the presence of the act is then therefore stifled by default. This is common for acts such as False Advertising who proclaim to yield a 90’s-esque (‘fuzz noise pop’) sound. This being said, False Advertising’s self-titled debut stands on pedestal of its own merit.
The record is held together by all of the staples grunge enthusiasts have come to recognise as the cornerstones of the genre. Listeners are subjected to high-octane jilting rhythms such as on opener ‘Breaker’ and the dooming guitar gravitational pull of ‘Another Mention’. False Advertising’s debut is a dynamic display of work that never ceases to drone towards a timely end. This is relevant when considering the tiresome display of the tricks of distortion and “fuzz” that all too often becomes white noise.
The duo vocal work of guitarist/vocalist Jen Hingley and drummer/vocalist Chris Warr is intrinsic solidifying themselves a sole voice. Hingley croons with a sultry and infecting resonance on tracks such as ‘All Of The Above’ that bears a likeness to the raw sound of “American Thighs” era foremothers Veruca Salt. Hingley deliberates with a calculated foreboding utterance stating, “in between my conscious and your fear, creates a heavy cloud, this thing’s going to fall down,” before exploding into one of the defining choruses on the record. The effect is double-edged as Warr covers the rest of the ground with an earth-splintering baritone present on ‘Cold Shoulder’ and ‘I Don’t Know’.
False Advertising show evidence of an array of song craftwork at the band’s disposal.The production is crisp where you can still detect the stench of the sweat cloaking the band in the studio. There are also moments where the band are charged, like the amp-stacked moments on Reuben’s ‘Racecar Is Racecar Backwards,’ ‘Only Way’ is an example of this, where the angular jabs of fuzzy guitar are poised perfectly. On FA’s debut, the tracks follow a simplistic structure where the rudimentary melodies steer the tracks, but there are various distinct factors at play that distances the record away from the terrains of linearity.
With this full-length offering, the Manchester trio successfully avoid the pitfalls and strip away the glorified pretence of the grunge world into a mould of their own.
3/5
’False Advertising’ by False Advertising is out now.
False Advertising links: Website|Facebook|Twitter
Words by Aaron Akeredolu.
