The Paper Scissors - In Loving Memory (Album Review)
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Written by Jonny Rimmer
In some ways, despite being only 40 minutes long, 'In Loving Memory' is a truly exhausting record. The Aussie trio have packed so many ideas into the cauldron; it is a real surprise that the mix does not simply bubble up into ruin.
Instead, we are treated to one of the most indisputably forward thinking albums of 2011. The Paper Scissors’ sophomore record, this will inevitably be categorised as Indie Rock, but the sound is fiercely experimental. Whilst credit must go to the exceptionally industrious production job, the band simply knows how to make disparate styles and noises work as one entity.
Track one, ‘Disco Connect’, sets the awkward tone for much of the record, a brimming “soundscape” that is dreamy, busy and funky all at once. Whammy is set for the stars, shuddering alongside reggae-flavoured melodic guitar, gravelly punk bass and soulful vocals. ‘Dozens’, another highlight, sounds like you’re walking in on a psychedelic jam between The National, Gorillaz and God knows what else, and ‘Mechanism’ boasts harmonised vocals and sustained synth chords.
Essentially, this is not an album that you can just jump in. It manages to avoid sounding cluttered, largely thanks to the forceful interplay between instruments; e.g. when the drums are most frantic, they suddenly drop to allow tremolo to become more obvious, or when things begin to feel restrained, the jagged bass line will suddenly twist and evolve itself into something else.
This is dance-pop at its most immersive, music that will put you in a trance and then slap you out of it again. Reference points might include Modest Mouse or Foals (the latter can particularly be heard in the instrumentation). At the core though, The Paper Scissors are brilliantly unique. 'In Loving Memory' is not entirely free of filler, but this is still highly impressive stuff.
Album Rating: 8/10
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Instead, we are treated to one of the most indisputably forward thinking albums of 2011. The Paper Scissors’ sophomore record, this will inevitably be categorised as Indie Rock, but the sound is fiercely experimental. Whilst credit must go to the exceptionally industrious production job, the band simply knows how to make disparate styles and noises work as one entity. 
