Credit: Found On Internet

After the veritable shit storm that was the Now Pluvial EP, this twelve-inch comes as something of a frustrating diversion with a genuine feel of contempt. Again rocking the veritable spring of Liars, but now they're also indulging in the patience-testing techniques of experimentation into repetition that Shellac has for the longest time been known to torment their audience with.  And I haven’t even mentioned yet the way the vinyl being one sided managed to confuse me for more minutes than is healthy for a grown man.

These New Puritans consistently come across as awkward sons of bitches destined for a future as a thorn in the side fringe.  To compare this band to The Fall can only ever serve to sound cheap, but if I could come up with another such testing example I would. I genuinely believe this is the current best example of a band flexing its underground muscles in code in an effort to equally captivate an audience with curiosity with one hand and slap them in the face with the other.

As the record reaches almost mantra-esqe proportions, the surprisingly optimistic tone of the guitar being abused by the offending vocal delivery is what keeps the listener interested and alive. The juxtaposition of the sounds only spur you on to keep with the record until it has ended and you know everything ends all right.  For those with motor vehicles, this will probably make for a good driving record - provided of course your vehicle is housed with a deck that plays vinyl.

For a second release by a band that seems insistent on being taken seriously, serving up a “clear” one sided twelve-inch in a blank sleeve, containing one twelve minute track, is a true gesture of defiance; a commercial snarl to the consumer that will either alienate or entice.  Indeed, I had to make four return trips to Rough Trade before I was lucky enough to possess copy 207/500.

In a time where an industry on its knees is happy to play the fool for a few dollars more, as ever it is truly refreshing to uncover an act looking only to satisfy their own needs.