One nationer (not me) has managed to get a listen of the new promo CD. He (or she) has sent me their thoughts on the new album. Interesting reading .... The reviewer also sent me an image to prove it was not a dodgy copy so I think it's fair to print this....
Pop Will Eat Itself / New Noise Designed By A Sadist / Promo CD.
Whilst it’s in no way the fault of Crabbi that demos and the actual aborted Vile Evils album were leaked, it’s inevitable that these tracks will be compared to those versions and the old live versions too. The aborted LP was, until a few days ago, still legally available to purchase as a download so it’s safe to say most people reading this will be very familiar with the majority of the songs on this new PWEI long player…
01) Back 2 Business / 1.20
A very VileEvils style techno synth line is the first sound heard on the new PWEI LP. The rug is then pulled as half speed ‘When the Levy Breaks’ style drums and heavy rock guitars come crashing in. The line ‘All beats are locked, all roads are blocked, it’s back to business’ is repeated as Crabbi lays down the law, ending the track with a chant of P…W…E…I! This is a very nifty little intro made from the same mould as ‘England’s Finest’.
02) Chaos & Mayhem / 3.39
As a live favourite from the VileEvils gigs and a track heard by fans in two leaked versions – the ‘Early Doors Demo’ version and the ‘Asbo Kid / Snovonne’ mix, this could have come across as over familiar, however, this track sounds totally re-recorded and revitilised. The production is glossy, the sound is heavy and it is a great showcase for new member Mary Byker, who takes the vocal lead. In parts it begins to slip into MTV friendly rock territory but retains its punky edge. It really follows in the PWEI tradition of ‘Poison Pop’ and after all, this is pop music.
03) Nosebleeder Turbo TV / 4.03
This track will hold few suprises to those who have heard the VileEvils version. The overall sound is slightly less drum ‘n’ bass with live drums and Very Metal Guitars beefing up the sound a little. It’s worth pointing out that the lyrics have not had to be updated since this appeared on the PWEI ‘Sonic Noise Byte’. Yes, celebrity B.B. is still with us, worse luck.
04) Captain Plastic / 3.11
O.K, now we’re talking. The majority of fans have only ever heard the brief snippet of this from the PWEI ‘Sonic NoiseByte’ teaser. The ‘R.S.V.P’ sample is now missing. Can PWEI not even afford the legal wrangling of sampling and looping themselves? Maybe it is a conscious decision not to lean to heavily on old triumphs? Either way the omission of the sample does not make this track any less enjoyable. It’s the most ‘fun’ and funky track on the album. It’s pretty quirky, bouncy and over before you know it. Rewind!
05) Mask / 5.06
Pretty much as ‘Nosebleeder Turbo TV’, a tweaked version of what we have already heard. I found my self liking this track a little more with the bigger guitar sounds but again, no great surprises here.
06) Equal Zero / 4.39
This one is probably going to stir up quite a bit of discussion. It’s a heavily reworked version of ‘Retro Dreaming’. Most of the lyrics have been changed and the structure of the song is more along the lines of the VileEvils sound than the new PWEI sound. Really the song has all but gone and it sounds almost like two songs mashed together. It’s a good track and one of the album’s highlights is the heavily syncopated guitars and drums which sound fantastic. Doubtless some fans some will mourn the fact that a really strong song, ‘Retro Dreaming’, has been lost in the process.
07) Old Skool Cool / 5.09
Another track that is essentially a beefed up version of the VileEvils LP version with Mary Byker on lead vocals…let’s move on.
08) Seek & Destroy / 4.27
One of the strongest songs from Viva Le VileEvils gets another tweak here. The beat is more relentless and a little more industrial and the guitars set new standards of Very Metal Noise Pollution. The arrangement has been tweaked to no great benefit or detriment but this remains one of the strongest tracks in the set. No Ramones sample by the way.
09) Disguise / 3.15
Now, unless I’ve missed something, this is a totally new song? Lyrically and stylistically this is cut from the same cloth as the slightly throwaway ‘Punk Rock Band’. It’s a much better song than that with a great chorus of ‘We came to fame with guitars screaming, wall to wall bass and face to face bawling’. The sound is, like Chaos & Mayhem, polished, poppy, but very punky. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a future single.
10) Wasted Part 1 / 3.53 / 11) Wasted Part 2 / 2.19
I didn’t think this track could be made any heavier than the previous version with Fuzz’s drums. I was wrong. This version sounds even bigger and the winning formula has not been messed with too much. The obvious change is in the vocals with some great sparring from a snarling, punky Mary Byker and Crabbi.