Best Bets - On An Unhistoric Night

 

After a brief dalliance with the old, we are back on terra firma for the next couple of weeks or so, before we gather our Basildon Bond pads and Parker Pens to compile the Best Of Year thingamajig. Meritorio Records are on a real roll this year and this may just be the best thing on the label.

New Zealand's Best Bets consist of Olly Crawford Ellis, James Harding, Joe Sampson and Matthew Phimmavanh. The know it all's amongst you will realise that Harding and Crawford Ellis come via the excellent Transistors and Harding from Salad Boys, so you kinda get a hint of what to expect.

However, no one, including myself, could expect the debut album to be such a raucous melodic joy of a thing. Full of hooks and choruses, the production allows an almost ramshackle "lets do the show right here" combine with wonderful Pop Rock sensibilities.

The band don't need defining, but I'll try. There's a real self depreciation among the quartet and that and the style at times has a lot in common with Ash, although Best Bits have a lot more hooks. You can go for the obvious, rough and ready melodic punk, but that would be Transistors.

There is Power Pop, but more looseness than usually in that format. The Twin Guitar can head towards Classic Rock and at times even Hair Rock. But there are bits of Big Star, Garage Rock and a big dollop of Glam Rock included within.

Opener, The Point is very early Teenage Fanclub, but the following Crystal Mausoleum is very UK New Wave 1979. The former allows a real big boy guitar wig out, whilst the latter is built around a belting Power Pop Riff.

The Minor Leagues is another example of how a riff can make a song and has a wonderful all together now vibe with its loose Faces like vibe. Olympic Sprinter is great New York New Wave Punk and Looking Back With Mike has a real DIY urgency.

Always On The Losing Side is a longer affair which allows the song to build the Guitars and Heavy Metal out and European Cars is just out and out Garage Rock. Lyrically adept and essentially wanting the listener to sing along, this is an album to revel in.

For all the low budget and deliberately background noise production, On An Unhistoric Night triumphs because it is so damn catchy. It just makes you want to sing and shake. There are so many hooks, it is hard not to be snared. What an absolutely cracking album! I need a sit down after each listen.

You can listen to and buy the album here. it is also available via Meritorio Records here.

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