Kate Nash never seemed like the
predictable type. From her edgy girl next door debut ‘Made of Bricks’ right
through to this retro punk infused jaunt that is her brand new album ‘Girl
Talk’, the unexpected is plentiful and the surprises are some of the loveliest
that can be expected from a record with such a wide range of influences. This
record has bags of attitude and even a distinct ‘feminist’ streak, but that
doesn’t dumb down the fun that is evidentially on show here.
Opener ‘Part Heart’ builds with
a slow and steady bass line until an eruption of distorted guitar chords fall
in, allowing Kate to explore this new direction with howls and screeches. The
angst and intensity feels natural and doesn’t come as a shock, which is credit
to how Nash has managed to switch to this punk rock sound. ‘Fri-end?’ is three
chord pop rock at its simplest, drenched in Kate’s approachable and
unmistakably British lyrical style.
‘Death Proof’ (named after the
Quentin Tarantino movie and sounding like it could have been plucked from one
of his movie soundtracks) is a bass driven rockabilly song with understated
(almost spoken) vocals. It’s natural and cool, making the most of the
four-stringed instrument to take the track places, which next song ‘Are You
There Sweetheart?’ continues in spades. Jangling guitars and delicate vocals
bring a slight funk edge to life, the layered beauty for the chorus a joy to
behold.
The album steps up a
considerable notch as Kate’s passion erupts with ‘Sister’, which is a
fast-paced punk rock rebellion, grabbing ‘Girl Talk’ by the scruff of the neck
and dragging it along. The vocals reach guttural lows at times, which are
exhilarating, the glam girl band chic of this song suddenly adorned with a
leather jacket and knee high boots. ‘OMYGOD!’ slows the pace but doesn’t remove
the momentum of the record, the quaint and sometimes adorable nature of this
track sounding like sun drenched, bubblegum punk without fully wimping out.
‘OH’ is stripped down and playful, the attitude in Kate’s vocals feeling
isolated and threatened, making this song an emotionally chaotic affair.
‘All Talk’ is visceral,
unpredictable and without a doubt the heaviest track on this album so far. It’s
furious and frenetic with an energy that feels like ‘Be Your Own Pet’ and ‘Yeah
Yeah Yeahs’, and that’s a great thing. ‘Conventional Girl’ is the first ‘Made
of Bricks’ sounding song and the summer pop hooks are perhaps an ode to an
album that Kate must think of highly. 60s girl group melodies and a sugar sweet
sound is present even when Kate turns on the sneers towards the end.
‘3AM’ is another bouncy, bass
lead song but it rarely moves from a solitary gear, while ‘Rap For Rejection’
is resentful and occasionally full of rage, despite the fact that these
emotions aren’t 100% clear. It’s admirable and mysterious, unlike ‘Cherry
Pickin’, which is straight-up surf rock suave. It’s rowdy and has some great
melodic undertones that work extremely well. ‘Labyrinth’ is soulful but fairly
underwhelming, perhaps due to the lack of legs the instrumentals have.
‘You’re So Cool, I’m So Freaky’
is an acoustic guitar driven folk anthem, which is both enjoyable and
elevating. Closing track ‘Lullaby For An Insomniac’ has Kate’s isolated vocals
for a mostly acapella song that ends on an odd yet pleasing note as an
extravagant orchestral outro, which wouldn’t be out of place during a fantasy
adventure motion picture.
The album really is a riot, but
not the kind that would see a petrol bomb hurtling towards your face. It’s a
hotel room trashing, drink until you’re sick, all-girl high five, studded denim
hotpants and eyeliner kind of riot, and that’s the best kind of riot there is.
It would seem that, on this evidence, Kate has matured from a girl who might
slap you once or twice if you broke her heart to a girl who would now round up
her girls to give you a proper hiding if you dared commit such an act today.
‘Girl Talk’ is dangerous and worth more than a minute of your time, no matter if you love or hate Nash.
Give it a go.
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