{"id":73378,"date":"2022-01-11T19:38:49","date_gmt":"2022-01-11T19:38:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=73378"},"modified":"2022-01-12T19:40:43","modified_gmt":"2022-01-12T19:40:43","slug":"review-of-the-blinders-new-electric-kool-aid-part-1-ep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2022\/01\/review-of-the-blinders-new-electric-kool-aid-part-1-ep\/","title":{"rendered":"FIRST DRAUGHT – The Blinders Mix Psychedelia With Indie Rock on Electric Kool-Aid (Part 1) EP"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With a title borrowed from Tom Wolfe<\/strong>‘s celebrated examination of Ken Kesey<\/strong>‘s LSD-soaked Merry Pranksters<\/strong>, The Blinders<\/strong> signal their psychedelic influences from the get go on New EP Electric Kool-Aid (Part 1)<\/em><\/strong>.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The follow-up to the Manchester-based band’s haunting cover of Echo and the Bunnymen<\/strong>‘s The Killing Moon<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/strong>, it sees The Blinders adding a spacier sound to their potent blend of aggressive punk pop.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The title track merges Will Sargent<\/strong>-style guitar lines with a Far Out ’60s groove, throbbing bass and minimal repetitive lyrics adding to the wigged out feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barefoot Across Your Water<\/em><\/strong> employs repetition to similar effect, subtle piano phrases adding colour to the driving bass and piercing guitars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The track’s huge wall of sound recalls another of Liverpool’s ‘Crucial Three’ – Pete Wylie<\/strong>‘s Mighty Wah!<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goth guitars add a lurid touch to The Writer<\/em><\/strong> – one of the strongest songs on this five-track EP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singer Thomas Haywood<\/strong> is in fine voice as he delivers a stinging rebuke to the titular self-absorbed hack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know you\u2019ve a poster of yourself behind the door,\u201d he mocks, before a dramatic key change adds real depth to the song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Haywood then resumes his merciless attack on the hapless scribbler who composes “verse after verse, all of which serves no use”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Artwork
Potent Cocktail – artwork for Electric Kool-Aid (Part 1 ) <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Best of the bunch though, is lead single City We Call Love<\/em><\/strong> – an exhilarating thrill ride of indie rock, delivered with lashings of overdrive and distortion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The song’s fuller sound amply demonstrating the merits of the band’s recent switch from a three to a five-piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slashing guitars reminiscent of The Godfathers<\/strong> power the song forward at ferocious pace, while Charlie McGough<\/strong>‘s bass gives a nod to The Stooge<\/strong>‘s classic I Wanna Be Your Dog<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a neat trick the EP’s lovelorn closer Hate to See You Tortured<\/em><\/strong> ends with a smattering of psychedelia, bringing us back to the hallucinatory stylings of the title track. Blinding!<\/p>\n\n\n\n