July 9, 2009

Album Review: That Fucking Tank - 'Tanknology'

A two-man barrage of drums and guitar that sounds like war

8 / 10 'Tanknology’ opens with perhaps the most righteous sound ever committed to tape. Twelve seconds of Cornish surf rockers Reef’s accompaniment to the letters segment of Chris Evans’ execrable ‘90s talk show TFI Friday are suddenly bludgeoned by Andy Abbott and James Islip’s assault corps of drums and guitar. Lightning Bolt and Death From Above 1979 might have been rocking the bro beats’n’strings dynamic a few years back while That Fucking Tank were still largely unknown, but it’s our boys from Leeds who look set to be victors in the longer campaign.

Both the Bolt and the bombers failed to contain the sweats and furies of
their live show on record. By contrast, TFT’s follow-up to debut ‘The Day Of Death By Bono Adrenaline Shock’ sees them fine-tuning their riffed-out instrumentals for a foray into broader, more populated plains. ‘Keanu Reef’, with its mathy chalkboard of sound and texture, is a hard-hauling dray horse counterpoint to Foals’ more delicate gambol. ‘Dave Grolsch’ drives with the precision of Pittsburgh’s Don Caballero, but the Brits’ ride is pimped and bouncing off its suspension. ‘Stephen Hawkwind’ (these chaps pun with the best), meanwhile, has a restrained grace, begging to be unleashed in a live bombardment.

Crucially, TFT playfully subvert the rock canon, and especially imbue
geekrock with a rarely seen joie de vivre. They even blow raspberries at
classicism: ‘Bruce Springstonehenge’ takes The Boss’ ‘Dancing In The Dark’ for an off-road trip through grit and oomska, and ‘Ludwig II Of Bavaria’ has a guitar line as imperious as the highest turret of one of that legendarily potty ruler’s castles. Hear these monstrous forces come. AIEEEEEEE!!!

Luke Turner

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