Early May, and London band Death And The Penguin will release a six track debut EP called ‘Accidents Happen’.
Sounding somewhere between later era Radiohead, Bloc Party and The Mars Volta, opener Snuffed Out sets the scene for the rest of the EP with an urgent spiky pace and machine gun drumming.
Space 1998 has more emphasis on the bass lines, and dare I say it, a Prog rock sensibility with its complexity and time signature.
3rd track An Opening, slows the pace and is the shortest track here. It seems to exist to give the listener time to catch his breath after the ferocity of the openers. Single Strange Times follows and we're back to the urgency and explosive mood as before.
Bitumen is the last original song here and starts relatively slowly and quietly before slipping back into a maelstrom of drums, bass and edgy guitars. Excellent stuff.
The final track is a cover of the PJ Harvey song The Words That Maketh Murder. In DATPs hands, it sounds even more sinister than the original.
A really promising debut which on repeat listening seems to uncover more and more layers like any good art rock sound should. I'm looking forward to hearing more and seeing these guys live.
DEATH AND THE PENGUIN are: Tobias Smith (Vocals, Guitar); Christopher Olsen (Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals); Andrew Acred (Bass Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals); and Timothy Brennik (Drums, Percussion, Vocals).
Keith @kjsmith4082
7/11
