Demos

The Situationists - Demo

Mark L 11/05/2006

Rating: 4/5

There was this laboratory in Sheffield I went to once and all the scientists were milling around with shirts and little skinny ties, and suede jackets with badges all over them. They all had, like, sticky up hair off of that Wella advert. I was really confused so I said 'should you guys be wearing lab coats?'. One of them looked at me with a moody stare, and mumbled something like 'we are indie scientists', before getting back to whatever he was doing.

I found out later that the lab guys were a bit hostile because they were working on an important new indie experiment. They were creating a brand new band with the following formula:

The Futureheads x1n + Kele from Bloc Party = The Situationists

Well after some waiting around for Bunsen burners and the like (and hoping that none of that bottle labeled 'Arctic Monkeys' Laddie Attitude' was going in the pot), I got to hear this new creation, and what can I say......it's spot on. The Situationists DO sound like the Futureheads fronted by Kele from Bloc Party. But y'know those scientists are clever guys, because rather than creating a dull watery hybrid that doesn't sound as good as either band, they have created a fabulous end product which sounds vital, urgent, and bloody fab. I was told this was due to the following:

'Secret Ingredient X'

It must be great stuff that secret ingredient. The Situationists have all the attitude and grittiness of 'The Bloc' and all the tuneful harmonizing of the 'Heads'. The guitar riffs take a healthy dollop of style from both bands and lurch between light and jangly to dense and distorted, whilst the songs themselves are bouncy in an almost 'Cure' like way. Great yelping vocals, 'ways' and 'woos', and brilliant hooky compact indie pop tunes. My three faves being Lost My Narrative, An Old "Silent Movie" and "Under The Pavement." Yeah I cheated a bit having three favourites out of four songs, but I can't decide, they are all great. Why don't you help me choose and check the songs out on their Myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/situationists). Indie scientists eh, on these rare occasions they do themselves proud.