Dub Sex have been hailed as one of the greatest 'lost' bands of Manchester which somehow seems like the ultimate compliment.
This compilation from the excellent Optic Nerve pretty much captures everything of note that they recorded between 1987-1989 and is therefore a definitive and essential collection. It is predominantly made up of EPs and Peel Sessions as he was a huge fan at that time.
This is angry, raw sounding pop music, a great example being Festive Top 50 track "Swerve" (also the band's signature song),not entirely dissimilar to a band such as New Fast Automatic Daffodils.
Overall the guitar sound is quite post-punk, the vocals are distinctive and emotive and the bass does have a dub element to it which makes for a dynamic combination. The tracks on the album fly by, each leaving their mark. Peel Session tracks like "North By North-East" and "Snapper" positively brim with energy.
|
Sadly, it would seem that 'Madchester' did for them in the end. They were spiky when the world went baggy and that was that. The band's last single "Time of Life" is another classic and at least shows a developing sound if not a new direction.
Other stand outs are the driving "Kumina", the insistent "Every Secret (That I Ever Made)" and the effortless "Voice Of Reason". Dub Sex are playing Manchester and London towards the end of April and they are apparently excellent in a live environment. If you can't make it consider purchasing this CD, or why not do both?
|
