Kill the Captains

Kill The Captains have been gigging around Sheffield for a couple of years now, setting up the popular Mutiny club night and grabbing the odd support slot with the likes of Actress Hands.

Their debut EP shows that they have less in common with fellow Sheffield acts Arctic Monkeys or Long Blondes, but rather names from across the Atlantic such as Sonic Youth, but with an English twist. Opening track Bottom Lip is like hitching a ride with The Strokes after they've necked a truckload of psychotropic drugs, careering along majestically before taking several odd little melodic detours - thrilling and disturbing in equal measures.

The oddly titled Chrunt shares a similarly powerful guitar riff, powered along by an impressive rhythm section, but it's possibly Long In The Tooth which is the highlight of the EP - downtempo, world weary and strangely affecting, with a plaintive cry of "outside, everything is outside".

Fun Anxiety is an appropriately named track to end on, sounding like the most enjoyable panic attack you could hope to have - starting off droningly hypnotic, before taking a left-turn into psychedelic wig-out territory. An excellent debut EP, and a fine addition to Sheffield's already impressive roll-call of talent.

http://www.musicomh.com/singles/kill-the-captains_0408.htm - Online

Kill the Captains are from Sheffield and one might assume that the aforementioned city was full of responsible, soul searching musicians who would give us spiritually uplifting songs. Fortunately for us, there must be something in the water down there as Kill the Captains seem to be afflicted with a peculiarly appealing kind of madness.

They are a bit playful, this band. "Bottom Lip" leaps right out at you with its throwback to the sixties vocal posturing and that oh so jagged yet at the same time polished guitar playing. "Chrunt" is likewise jaunty with pointed "… I recognise his face, I've seem him in the news" lyrics but balanced this time with a bit of twisted musical discord. God know why there is an evil thrash metal break in the middle but there is and it works. There is so much energy here that you could power a small town with this one. "Long in the Tooth" seems altogether more laconic in its delivery but again there is no shortage of hard working guitars to keep things pumping. Oh, and just to round things off, another good one as post punk influences get mixed up with yet more deranged guitars and even some psychedelic influences to make "Fun Anxiety". Therapy required.

It might well have been the drink - and it usually is - but there is an intelligence and elegance present that reminded the Bluesbunny of such exalted forebearers like The Kinks. Very British, imaginative yet a bit left of centre but a whole lot good. Kill the Captains are truly worthy of your attention.

http://www.bluesbunny.com/tabid/122/xmmid/474/xmid/886/xmview/2/default.aspx - Online

This Sheffield band aren’t too easy to categorise. I have read in several places that they are being compared to “Sonic Youth playing at a school disco”, but having sought out some of that band’s output I have to disagree.

The opener to this EP, Bottom Lip, is much more like an English Strokes meets Kings of Leon. It’s short and lively, slightly punky in style but without aggression or dis-harmony. There’s a certain humour to the lyrics, like the band don’t take themselves too seriously.

Chrunt, equally frenetic and short, goes more into Biffy Clyro territory, with changes of rhythm and pace, and awkward jarring guitar chords going distinctly psychedelic at times. Long In The Tooth is more like Biffy in their quieter moods, a very gentle and melodic number.

The final track is Fun Anxiety, nearly seven minutes of frantic thrashing, growling and screaming. Kicking off with a thrumming and catchy bassline, building layer upon layer into a wall of sound, the effect is like listening to the house band at the asylum. It’s very inventive and engaging, and grows on you after repeat listens – most definitely not boring or middle of the road. As catchy as the previous three songs are, Fun Anxiety is my pick of the EP.

http://jukebocx.com/2008/kill-the-captains-kill-the-captains-ep/ - Online

Feedback, jingly-jangly guitar, slightly distracted vocals - what more could you want in a 3-minute popsong? KTC, a 4-piece from Sheffield, have a certain joy de vivre and a certain je ne sais quois. ‘Bottom Lip’ is straightforward pop while ‘Chrunt’ is more angular and disjointed. The EP dips a little for the slightly dirgey ‘Long in the Tooth’s but almost-instrumental ‘Fun Anxiety’ is basically Can doing Eska and while less radio-friendly than the lead track, shows this lot are full of promise.

http://www.isthismusic.com/kill-the-captains - Online

Four track EP from Sheffield noisy rock quartet Kill The Captains has three 2 1/2 to 3 minute sound bombs and the longer, live favourite "Fun Anxiety" to close. Ensuring great production by using Messrs Smyth and Sanderson at 2Fly this impressive debut offering by the hard gigging Captains hits you in face from the feedback intro on opener "Bottom Lip" with its edgy guitars through the pacey "Chrunt" with its God complex references onto the laid back lullaby "Long In The Tooth" with hints of Morrissey in the vocals. The closer though, the aforementioned "Fun Anxiety", is the one that does it for me with bassy intro, heavier beat and understated vocals. It's a journey of nearly 7 minutes with a mixture of some offbeat guitar and great stickwork, strangely divorced from the other demos songs but a great track as the closer of a live set.

http://www.sandmanmagazine.co.uk/reviews/e004.htm - Online

SINGLE OF THE WEEK - KILL THE CAPTAINS – one of those bands who appear to be strolling and skipping along all nice calm and collected and then with no warning or anything fall up some stairs that you’d have sworn weren’t there a moment or go (or at least didn’t see coming yourself). More wrong pop then, that and swallowed words and scrambled truth and mistaken identity god complexes and faces your saw on the news. All double jointed and clever pop and Les Savy Slint Peru Ubu from Sheffield – good good good and every bed unmade.

http://www.organart.demon.co.uk/neworgan256.htm - Online

Doing guitar pop in their own quirky, unique way, this Sheffield combo have the intrinsic understanding of how not to follow the crowd that has made bands like Young Knives so well thought of. Gorgeous chord changes, chunky basslines, and chugging guitars in heaven only knows what time signature. Absolutely scrumptious.

http://subba-cultcha.com/singles.php?id=20 - Online

Visiting dear old Glasgow tonight from Sheffield are Kill the Captains. Oh, they are loud. Strident guitars slap you in the face and yet they have some top tunes. They rattle them out as well with the songs from their new EP getting the old feet tapping. Interestingly, they don't really stick to the recorded versions with their songs seeming altogether looser in feel and construction in the live environment but certainly not lacking in imagination. No mistaking that they know their way around a tune as well and Leon Carter snarls out the words with all the anguish of a sixties protest singer. Talking of sixties references, a bizarre thought crossed the Bluesbunny mind. Maybe this band would be what Cream would have sounded like if they were playing the circuit in Sheffield. Hopefully it won't be too long before they are back in Glasgow again.

http://www.bluesbunny.com/tabid/59/xmmid/743/xmid/899/xmview/2/default.aspx - Online

First up - Kill the Captains. Been working hard in Sheffield for a few years now. The sound is always technical and heartfelt. Previously I would have said Sonic Youth meets Weezer - now mix that with At the Drive-In. This lot are ace. Book 'em. Watch 'em develop.

James Lock - Local independent