Terry Malts - Killing Time

The kids need Terry Malts. The San Francisco chainsaw buzz pop band pay homage to The Ramones and Psychocandy on their debut Killing Time. Don't expect to hear anything other than a band tearing through their four chord tunes in a haze of fuzz and reverb that's over before it's started. Though there are a lot of similar bands out at the moment, Terry Malts sound most like The Vaccines would if they were doing it properly, especially on lead single 'Tumbledown', an example of the more melodic and pop styled side of the record. The majority of tracks though, bang and thrash around without concern for intricacy of any kind and are pinned down by primal drumming clattering along in the background. It's noisy, it's lo-fi and it's shambolic, but it works; the melodies in each song are there and have a knack of burrowing their way into your head.

The record brims with energy from start to finish, there isn't a quiet or contemplative moment throughout and the songs rush by in a speeding ball of dirge and distortion, threatening to spin out of control at any moment. It's an exciting listen to say the least, some really interesting arrangements, riffs and melodies lay buried beneath the production which keeps interest up. The lyrical subject matter is pretty standard fare; girls, booze, love, wishing it was the weekend, rebelling against religion. All the classic teen-centric issues are tackled head on, punctuated by searing riffs and call and response 'ooh ahh-ing', all very Ramonesy but with a more modern and literal slant, but good fun nonetheless.

In an age of polished, preened, prepared, press photo-shot and over produced 'indie', Terry Malts offer us a glimpse of what it used to be like. Killing Time recaptures the feeling of amazement I first felt when hearing 'Time For Heroes' teetering on the brink of collapse on Top of the Pops back in 2003. Nine years on and older, wiser and more cynical I am, but this record still manages to bring out the teen searching for something exiting in me; rough, raw and ready, it won't change the world or have any longevity, but it would have felt like it could if I was still 14. Terry Malts obviously knew the sound they were setting out to achieve and have done it very well, some great pop moments and I daresay a slight cut above the rest. It's revivalist in its nature and influences are worn brashly on sleeves, but the songs do stand up for themselves as original works and there isn't a dull moment throughout.