Seagull Kinevil - To Insanity And Beyond (Album Review)
Wednesday, 05 January 2011
Written by Jonny Rimmer
Emerging with one of the most aptly named albums of the year is Seagull Kinevil, a frenzied troupe from North Wales with tongues rested resolutely in their cheeks.
Even if you ignore the fact that they’re Welsh, there’s a definite whiff of mcLusky to the proceedings on this madcap debut but Seagull Kinevil channel both grungey riffs and snazzy classic rock solos to a greater degree.
The title track and the catchy ‘You’re F##ked (but it’s okay)’ highlight these attributes the most, but it is their half-spoken lyrics, about innuendoes and God knows what, that gives Seagull Kinevil a shred of originality.
Brief interludes and silly segments certainly do give this album character, and whilst ridiculous is fine and dandy, the band do veer slightly too close to ‘pointless but fun’ with their Black Betty cover (try humming ‘Black Lemons, banana man’ to the original refrain, and you’ll get the gist of it).
Overall, the Anglesey quartet provides enough variation in their hooks, structures and lyrics to make this record a winner. The use of mandolin on 'Dream Rubble' and 'Electric Fireshoes' also brings forward another side to the band. Whereas a million indie pop sound-alike bands fill up their albums with moody ballads for ‘contrast’, Seagull Kinevil folk it up.
However, the best compliment I can give this band is that they’re refreshing; not necessarily musically innovative (The Darkness, System of a Down and Nirvana all reverberate here), but their witty, nutty tunes are definitely diverse enough to make 'To Insanity and Beyond' a winner.
Stereoboard Album Rating: 8/10
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Brief interludes and silly segments certainly do give this album character, and whilst ridiculous is fine and dandy, the band do veer slightly too close to ‘pointless but fun’ with their Black Betty cover (try humming ‘Black Lemons, banana man’ to the original refrain, and you’ll get the gist of it).
