Posts Tagged ‘The Pretty Reckless’

TNL VZN – Night Terror

Posted: 31 March 2023 in Singles and EPs
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31st March 2023

Christopher Nosnibor

Birmingham quintet TNL VZN describe themselves as ‘the product when the aggression of 90’s alternative rock and grunge collides with melancholy and angst of 2000’s Emo.’ Certainly, what goes around comes around, and there does, almost invariably tend to be a twenty-to-thirty year cycle in music. It’s interesting to witness, not least of all because it seems less the case that the new generation rebels against the music of the one before, but instead recycles and recreates it. Formed in 2021, TNL VZN are dipping into the music from around the time they were being born, the music of their parents – but with heartfelt lyrics that speak to their own generation.

‘Night Terror’ builds from a simple verse that combines aching minor chords with a half-sung, half-mumbled vocal that feels remarkably intimate and soulful, before breaking onto a beefy riff-driven chorus and instant hook.

Their touchstones are Gilt, Paramore, Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless. I have to admit that while I’m not mad keen on the first three, I do have something of an appreciation for The Pretty Reckless, and would say that this is very much on a par, with some solid songwriting, a strong delivery and a tangible emotional quality that gives it that vital edge. When they say they’ll soon be ready to conquer the world, it’s hard to disagree.

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Salvation Jayne – Moves That Make the Record Skip

Posted: 10 June 2017 in Singles and EPs
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2nd June 2017

Christopher Nosnibor

The digital generation may be unfamiliar with the experience of leaping around their bedrooms to favourite tunes, only for their exuberance to result in the needle skipping a groove or two. While it’s unlikely to cause any damage to either the vinyl or the stylus, it has a way of disrupting the flow and making you feel like a bit of a buffoon. There’s Kent four-piece Salvation Jayne’s EP suggests, it contains rock nuggets potent enough to inspire bedroom moshing, although it’s not being released on vinyl.

After a brief introductory segment, the EP gets going properly with ‘Burn it Down’ which we covered when it first aired back in April. And it’s a cracking tune, chunky blues-based guitars chopping against a sinewy lead line and strolling bass. It also meets the ‘monster chorus’ requirement for a strong rock tune. And yes, tunes matter: on Moves That Make the Record Skip, Salvation Jayne offer tunes, with strong vocal melodies shaping the songs.

If ‘The Jailer’ contains all of the elements of infinite 80s rock bands and reminds me of many, many pub gigs I caught at the tail end of the 80s and into the early 90s in my home town (for all I know, there are still the same sort of bands cranking out the same stuff in the same venues now: Lincoln never was the most progressive of places), it’s well-executed and has the guts in the delivery to make it work. There’s also some nice slidey guitar action that brings a dirty country / blues vibe. ‘Thrillride’ starts with a low-slung bass and sassy, semi-menacing vocal from Chess Smith before she gives it some throat and everything kicks in.

EP closer ‘Whorehouse Down on the SE’ makes for a strong finish: it’s a percussion-driven hefty rock workout which has all the makings of an anthemic crowd-pleaser live. It mines a proper old-school rock seam, and calls to mind The Pretty Reckless at their best, with Smith giving it the raw, rough ‘n’ tough treatment.

 

 

Salvation Jayne - Moves