Review of The Noise's CD "Cheap Thrills EP"

The Noise: Cheap Thrills EP

Cheap Thrills was recorded at Sunnybank Studios in June of this year. Tracks are: "Run or Die", "Lesbian Pleasure", "Dirty USA", "Country Song" and "Salvation".

It's no nonsense rock 'n' roll in the mainstream US of A "Welcome to the Jungle" style. The Noise are a live band above all else. The generally lamentable "Lesbian Pleasure" has some intricacy in the first couple of minutes before the adolescent fantasy lyrics make the toes curl... but basically we've got long-haired head banging guitar-flailing bombast with pauses for breath to increase the drama. The outstanding feature is Chris Dover's convincingly fluent lead guitar.

"Country Song" is more boogie-shuffle than all-out rock, in an Allman Brothers sort of way. But it really takes off in the last minute when the twin guitar lead storms out from the back with a great flourish and the full pyrotechnic display.

"Salvation" crashes right in with a distorted power chord, and soon it's arena yelping about the boys in the band and so on. Six minutes of rock nostalgia for a format that still moves a devoted following. You know the score.

• www.thenoiserock.com

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