Turbogeist
excelled during their run of dates supporting Pure Love around the UK
earlier this year, and here they are on top form. Bringing their energy in the
live environment onto record, the London
based four-piece have crafted what is a true hidden gem of a release. With not
a strip of fat on this five-track EP, there is no chance of the tempo dwindling
even for a second.
The band, fronted by Jimmy Jagger (son of a rather famous
rock and roll vocalist), is completed by drummer Josh Ludlow; along with Luis
Felber and James Dunson of Jamie T’s backing band The Pacemakers on guitar and
bass respectively. Don’t let any of the above information create any
preconceptions though, as Turbogeist are a completely different band than the
sum of their parts suggests.
Fuzzy guitars and a slow-burning pace punctuate opening
track ‘Mermaid’s Revenge’, a grungey number that serves as a prime example of
Jagger and Felber’s harmonious shared vocals. ‘Zero Friends’ ups the ante, a
blistering piece of paranoia-laden punk rock during which Jagger howls ‘why am I scared of pretty girls, why are
they afraid of me?’ Not one from the Rolling Stones’ lyric archive, that’s
for sure.
‘Black Hole’ continues the trend in shifting the gears, mixing
things up while still keeping the rough formula of big choruses, bigger backing
vocals and grinding guitar strings. A highlight of Turbogeist’s live sets, it provides
the backbone of ‘Ancient Secrets’ too.
A cover of The Wipers’ 1980 track ‘Up Front’ showcases some
musicianship of the highest order, with Dunson’s trudging bass line more
prominent than anywhere else on the record, contrasted with the frantic guitar
solo played by Felber for the song’s bridge. Then, all there is to do is to
round the EP off with ‘Rats’, which can only be described as a raucous,
fist-pumping anthem that would be best suited on a soundtrack for one of the
old Tony Hawk skateboarding computer games.
For a band that regularly update their social media pages
with news on UFOs and comic books, Turbogeist clearly haven’t set out to
release a paradigm-shattering, politically driven record. But that’s okay,
because ‘Ancient Secrets’ is a small slice of high quality modern punk rock
that whets the appetite for a full release somewhere down the line.
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Ancient Secrets is out now through Spinefarm Records
Check out the video for 'Mermaid's Revenge' here
Have you heard 'Ancient Secrets' yet? If so, share your thoughts in the comment section...
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