Out From Animals
I Never Let My Schooling Interfere With My Education EP
It would be churlish to deny that synths have a place in this world. Clubland would be a drum-heavy world and there would be no S Club 7 back catalogue for sure but the problem is despite numerous attempts to try and make them fit, the kind of parping bubbly noises spread liberally over this EP have no place in a rock band. Seriously guys it’s 2007. We like our rock with guitars and beards and piercings, we don’t want to hear 80s-tastic keyboards discombobulating everything around it in the mix.
The two tracks that make up this release by Out From Animals are both educationally themed affairs shot through with what is presumably irony, wit and a realness learned at the school of hard knocks. Programmed drums pound, guitars flounce around dressed in some decidedly muted riffs and those fucking synths just won’t go away. By turns reminiscing over the remains of Republica, The Human League and even London troupers Laptop.
The lyrics do little to try and improve the situation, delivered with all the style and charisma of a postman and shot through with what I’m guessing was supposed to a witty, self-deprecating turn of phrase… honestly it all seems a bit muddled.
During the title track, they mouth off variously about the state of schooling, what he learned, what he didn’t, blah blah blah and during the second track ‘100 Teachers’ simply lists a selection of alternative sources of wisdom. Sure, he didn’t pay any attention in school but instead learned all kinds of important stuff from the other people in his little list. Homer Simpson (donut technology no doubt), Karate Kid (gymnastics?), Stanley Kubrick (Home Economics?!), and all manner of other bland obvious icons thrown into the mix to try and give this horribly dated affair some kind of relevance.
Honestly, these guys are old enough to be past bitching about school already. Get over it, get rid of the keys then come back and see me. For now, the report should probably read “could do better, more effort required”.
Guest article from Ben M.
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