Album: Novice EP
Year: 1992
Genre: Noise Pop, Shoegaze
Country: Ireland
Let me say what needs to be said, yes, the album features Jimi Shields, younger brother of My Bloody Valentine's own Kevin Shields. If you don't know him, you're in the wrong place. This needed to be said because every review of Rollerskate Skinny talks about that and that only. Now that its out of the way, the review can start.
This EP is exclusively released on a 10" vinyl, that features that band's old strawberry logo when they were still called Shake. The album only contains two, albeit lengthy tracks, both around the 8 minute mark. The EP happens to have a much more industrial sound than most of the Shoegaze of around that era. In fact, the Shoegaze tag is very reluctantly added, it should just be classified as Noise Pop. To be honest, it has a sound of it own, which in musical terms, is usually a plus. It is a release loved by most Shoegaze fans, for its noisy characteristics, long progressive tracks, and of course, ties to Kevin Shields, who is essentially worshipped by fans of the genre.
However, don't be discouraged, this release is very good. The two tracks are both very repetitive in nature, yet it is very hard to get bored of them, which is quite a shock in most cases. Like said before, the guitars are very noisy, not so much delayed and reverbed like one might of expected, but more 'fuzzy', rather than 'ethereal' or 'dreamy'. Think more of The Jesus & Mary Chain rather than Cocteau Twins.
Overall, this EP is worth having in your collection, and deserves a couple good listens. Try not to think of this being Kevin Shields' younger brothers band, but think of it separately. It sounds nothing like MBV.
Rating: B
Tracklisting:
1. Complacency
2. Cushy Daughter
Link: http://www.mediafire.com/?mnmyyv0lmss
