Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Rush to Relax
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Rush to Relax (Goner)
Melbourne, Australia’s Eddy Current Suppression Ring combine the insistent simplicity of the Stooges, the extemporaneous feel of Mark E. Smith’s Fall, and an unerring sense for what made dumb rock bands like the Troggs great.
The band first convened at a Christmas Party in 2003 for a drunken jam. Their gift has been maintaining that looseness of feel and seat of the pants spirit while combining it with increasing craft. Their second album, "Primary Colours," was about as good as this kind of elemental post-punk gets. It had maximum riff appeal (Eddy Current is a deceptively expert player, mixing Tom Verlaine moments with basic punk lines), and Brendan Suppression’s off-hand lyrics moved and amused; he sounded like an Eddie Argos (Art Brut) less bent on showing how clever he is.
Early reports on Rush to Relax suggest that it was recorded in one seven-hour shot. If that’s the case ECSR have built extraordinary group chemistry or gotten lucky. I suspect it’s both. If the three/four minute pop-punk song can be called formula, they’ve definitely tried to push that envelope. Trying their hand at more extended arrangements, the band stretches out on “Tuning Out” and “Second Guessing.”
At 6:31, “Tuning Out” features a long instrumental section with a dub style rhythm that gives guitarist Current the opportunity to extend his chicken-scratch guitar heroism to great lengths. Current’s sound is so basic (it sounds like a Stratocaster through a Fender amp w/no — or almost no — effects), his attack so direct, but his serial, spiraling lines build thoughtfully; his sound may be minimal, but his parts are well conceived and sometimes complex.
At 7:04, “Second Guessing” is built around a pulsing keyboard part and the locked in groove of drummer Danny Current and bassist Rob Solid. They have grown into a rock-solid rhythm section, adding both foundation and movement to these songs in a way that reminds of Hugo Burnham and Dave Allen’s work with the Gang of Four. Sometimes, ECSR find the groove on these lengthier tracks. Other times they falter; parts of “Second Guessing” sound like a collision between Steve Reich and Grand Funk Railroad. Still, growing pains aside, these extended workouts are at least qualified successes.
At the other extreme, “I Got a Feeling,” “Walked Into A Corner,” I Can Be A Jerk,” and “Isn’t It Nice” all clock in less than three minutes and average a blazingly brief 1:43.
“Jerk” features Brendan’s homely but charming Iggy Pop/Peter Perrett vocal approach and gets traction from Eddy Current’s gonzo guitar break and an ever-appropriate “Gloria” bass line from Solid. “Feeling” finds Current going for a little Lou Reed “ostrich” guitar, while Suppression confesses emotional constipation. “Isn’t It Nice” is the kind of super-riff Stooges stuff that these guys can probably do in their sleep, but in short, sharp doses it’s no less effective for its ease.
The closing, title tune begins as a beast and turns docile over its six-minute expanse. Bubbling up from a groove reminiscent of the Stooges' mighty “1970,” guitarist Current breaks out into a controlled guitar freak-out that calms to peaceful Hawaiian sounding licks as Suppression sings “You’re going on a holiday and you’re never coming back” As social commentary (could the Gang of Four’s “At Home He Feels Like a Tourist” be an inspiration?) it’s simple but effective, as rock drama it’s pacing is exquisite. You will have to decide whether the fifteen minutes (no kidding!) of sea (gull) noises that conclude the song are a) stunning, b) dopey, or c) effective but over-long.
"Rush to Relax" doesn’t quite pack the unified punch of Primary Colours. ECSR stumble some trying to expand their punk palette. But part of the band’s charm is a certain don’t give a damn attitude. It’s worked so far, and works for the most part here.
Reverberating: 8.2
Steve Wilson is the manager of Kief's Downtown Music and a lifelong musician and music writer. His weekly bundle of music reviews, Reverberations, will be appearing in KCFreePress each Tuesday.
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