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A couple of months ago I featured Bikini Black Special as a “band to watch in the future”, after I was involved in the judging of the Road To V bands through Virtual Festivals. Now they’ve sent me their first demo CD, which sounds exceptionally professional for a debut effort.
A mix between the urgency of Arctic Monkeys, early Razorlight (before they got shite) and the tales of Hard-Fi, BBS are never going to win innovation and originality awards. However what they lack in originality they more than make up with in style, talent and sheer songs.
Opening with “Easy, Faster” the lads have a fine opening track, combining northern grit with a fine tune, bemoaning how “you’ve got it so easy”. Quickly builds into an unstoppable juggernaut, before plunging straight into the second track, “Cuffs + Kisses“.
Vocalist Stevo sounds like a mixture of Arctics’ Alex Turner and The Enemy’s Tom, channelling his bitterness and anger into the track – calls of “the same old pathetic shit… You’re good for nothing, you don’t know what you’re missing” making a great anthem for jilted youth.
“Shoot Me Now” has a memorable yet simple chorus with a distinct feeling of yearning throughout the track, reminiscent of their MySpace track “Do What You Do”. Live I’d imagine live this track is one of the standout tracks of the collection.
“Outside Tonight” is a fine closing track to the collection – slower than the rest, a great love song that just begs for repeated listening.
Radio friendly, Bikini Black Special’s demo may not be the most original ever created, but it sure is a fine start to a career that could bear many fruits.
