Album Review

Eight Legs – The Electric Kool-Aid Cuckoo Nest

• 24th Feb 2010

Independent by nature, given that this flighty full-length is the product of their own label, yet jaunty sincere, honest in delivery and backward gazing (to the mod-era especially) in their musical styles. Is how Eight Legs seems to be coming across and it is an impact that suits them.

To start off with, the sound of Rakes and The Cribs is bundled together to appear disorganised and slightly put off by the vicissitudes of life, ‘I Understand’. However, you sense that a lot of thought has gone into this projection of low-key annoyance at the cards that they’ve been dealt. The post-mod theme continues pouring out into ‘Stay Cool’, but a more stammered delivery of the vocals by Sam Jolly prevents an early stale feel.

The ranging nature of this fashionista’s dream of a band, starts to come to life in the slow turning, tapping percussion tilted bluesy ballad, ‘The Dystopian Not So Future’. A lot of feral logic is encapsulated in the terse lyrics:

“You were thinking with your balls when you should have used your head.”

Of course, after such longing and reflection, a change of pace is needed. There’s no better way to ensure this than by chucking in a bouncy, yet bemused pop spirited anthem, ‘Best Of Me’ (and, no, it certainly ain’t a cheap The Darkness cover).

Likeable tykes is a tag that this sprightly group is going to find themselves stuck with given their friendly and wise manner. ‘More Than Nothing At All’, is a slow building tuneful lament at being skint. The rhythm builds and sincere delivery goes some way towards explaining why their sound was successfully used to back up an anti-binge drinking campaign.

Rustic The Cribs spirited rebelliousness spews out of the chanted, yesteryear adoring ‘I Wish It Was The 60s’ and, the defiance from it builds and builds into the narky, murkily ambient interlude containing ‘Untitled’.

Eight Legs have conjured up a debut album with heart, defiance, soberness and sincerity. Qualities that will mean they will be used to back up more campaigns than a Spin Doctor.