Album Review: The Computers – Love Triangles Hate Squares
When you say a band has burst onto the scene, it’s usually the digging up of a worn-out old cliché. But for The Computers, there is seldom other ways to describe the Exeter-based five-piece. They arrived with a 24-minute debut album of punk rowdiness that was extremely raw and reminiscent of Pulled Apart by Horses debut record ‘Meat Balloon’.
So what did I expect from The Computers’ new album, ‘Love Triangles Hate Squares’? A bluesy, ’50s inspired quasi-homage to jazz was not the first place I was going to. In fact, it was pretty far down on my list of avenues the band would go down. It’s always worrying when a band tries to dramatically U-turn on their style, but The Computers I can confirm have done it with class, elegance and seamlessly have kerplunked themselves as a much more radio-friendly outfit altogether.
They’ve still got a raw kind of edge, and that’s blatantly obvious on the honky-tonkery of ‘Selina Chinese’. The gruff roars of ‘Group Identity’ and ‘Cinco De Mayo’ are replaced by piano grooves and a toe-tappingly catchy drum beat provided by the bands effective as ever engine room. Almost from start to finish, ‘Love Triangle Hate Squares’ is a thoroughly pleasant trip down memory lane, transporting you back to the dance halls of the ’50s, but spicing them up with a bit of 21st Century brashness. It’s an odd mix and at times, like on lovelorn lament ‘Cruel’ it all gets a bit too much.
But if you’re looking for some unashamed giggles and something which you will most definitely not bump into with any other band, then ‘Love Triangles Hate Squares’ is a solid bet, as with mainstream music at the moment, you won’t find something this original and uplifting anywhere else.
The record was mixed and recorded with producer Mark Neill, who has worked on The Black Keys‘ music, in Valdosta, Georgia, and the producer’s impact is underlying in the entire album. Whether that’s too much, could be an issue, but with the band’s new sound it seems like the band have met with Neill at the right time to produce a funky new sound for The Computers.
7/10
The Computers’ latest album ‘Love Triangles Hate Squares’ is out now on One Little Indian.
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