It's been a long time in coming. Since their debut single in 2007, the Exeter foursome have managed one more single and a seven-track mini-album. Arguably, The Computers are more about hard gigging than about recorded output, but even so, four years before putting out a full-length album is more than enough to justify the use of the phrase 'much anticipated'.
'This is the Computers' was, we're told, 'recorded in four short days in the Californian home of John 'Speedo' Reis', and was 'recorded live, to tape. That means no overdubs. No computers were involved (irony). There were no tweaks, corrections or auto-tuning - this is the real'.
Exploding with 'Where Do I Fit In?' everything is present and correct: screaming vocals yelping expletive-filled lyrics over breakneck rockabilly punk guitars, and it's all over in a minute and thirteen seconds. There's no pause for breath before 'Lovers Lovers Lovers' and it's already clear that it's business as usual, the songs they've been playing live for an age committed to tape in a fashion that pretty much replicates the live experience.
'Hot Damoclease' slows things a little, but brings additional weight to the party. It does suffer from sounding just ever so slightly lazy in its funk rock verse sections, though. Similarly, 'The Queen in 3D' sounds a little sluggish despite the screaming vocals, and I can't decide if it's the track itself or the slightly heavy-handed production.
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The lead single, 'Group Identity' stands out as being one of the weakest tracks on the album, a slightly poppier, mid-paced affair complete with 'oh-oh-oh' refrain, that really isn't representative of the rest of the material, or what the band do best. It's a shame, because there are some classic Computers moments, for sure: 'Rhythm Review' is pure psychotic rock 'n' roll played at 100mph and taken as a whole, 'This is The Computers' is a perfectly efficient punk album. It does slacken the pace a little during the second half, but it's still bursting with piston-paced percussion, relentless, jagged bass, rockabilly guitars and visceral vocals, delivered with a raw punk energy.
The chances are, it will win the band many new fans, and deservedly so. However, I can't help but wonder if the band work better in short dynamite doses, and for my money, think 'You Can't Hide From The Computers' is still the band's best work.
The Computers on MySpace
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