Singles

Redcarsgofaster - Micro/I Am The Storm

Alex Worsnip 16/08/2006

Rating: 4/5

Leicester's Redcarsgofaster mark themselves out as something unique from almost the first second of 'Micro': 'I've read books on the power of the will' declares Jamie Summers as if it were a playground taunt, and as they combine esoteric, poetical lyrical references with taut, squalling guitars, the track harks back to a kind of intelligent alternative rock that hasn't been prevelent since the early 80s. But this single is no obscurist curiosity: it's as direct and appealing as anything from Bloc Party to Interpol, while managing to sound cleverer and edgier than either (and I love both of those bands). Subtly arranged with a range of guitar tones and thoughtful use of a quiet/loud dynamic, 'Micro' is simply blistering.

But it's 'I Am The Storm' which really grabs the attention on this double-A side. Sounding like a cross between textured post-rock and British mope-rock (but with the latter being done far better than most bands do it at the moment), the verse is a blizzard of chiming guitars which yield to a building, muscular chorus that contains an intriguing lyric which I keep coming back to: 'I am a stopped clock/I can give you the time/if I was a stopped clock/had the time'. I'm not quite sure what it means, but there's something about it. It sounds epic, gorgeous and powerful, and displays a really nuanced ability to structure a song, building towards a frenzied climax. It's post-rock with tunes, with compact intensity, with urgency and purpose. On the back of this, Redcarsgofaster could be going somewhere very special indeed.