When we last heard from Cable35 they had just released their debut album, Louder, and were based out of Malta (for those who don’t know, Malta is an island nation in the Mediterranean and is also one of the most densely populated nations in the world). My what a difference a year or so makes. A year ago I was celebrating my 6th annual 29th birthday and now my 7th annual is fast approaching. For Cable35, they have a slightly less geeky perspective – they relocated to Sheffield, England to bring their sound to the masses (or at least – people hip to the music). The band still consists of Jeff on guitar / vox, Kriz on bass / vox, and Chris on drums. The upcoming EP by the band is called Fungus and it expands on the sounds of the debut whilst also offering up a looser vibe.
I’ve talked about my love of the EP format many times over drinks with friends and in print. It really gives an artist the ability to loosen up and not be bound by the expectations of a full length follow-up. In some cases, I prefer the EP’s bands put out over any of the full lengths. Some bands don’t make the best use of the format and instead offer up tracks that didn’t make the cut or tracks that veer dangerously close to the sound that was already on the record. Thankfully, Cable35 have not only retained the charm that made me love their debut so much – they’ve found a way to progress musically in stunning fashion.
the sun is going down (highlights)
Sanitation gets the EP off to a rousing start, the music sounding like the long-lost bastard son of Nirvana and The Melvins. The vocals are pure vitriol with the phrase “I need a new reaction” being screamed at various junctures. A rumbling bass permeates the proceedings making for an intoxicating mix of noise & melody.
Rental Sunshine is the single pulled from the EP and I can see why – a slab of Weezer influenced alt-rock, it features an infectious melody and an almost doom metal take on the grunge sound. The guitar solo is pure bliss and brings it back to that Weezer vibe. The key lyric being repeated here is “the sun is going down” – combined with the warm melody but dark metal-ish music, can’t say if this is a good thing. Go ahead and download the song for free, the band encourages it.
Underground starts off with some metal meandering for a minute before it slows down to a crawl and the vocals enter the mix. Angst filled, they propel the song towards greatness.
Boznich – 59 seconds of noisy mayhem closes the record – punk, metal, grunge – whatever you want to call it, they all coexist here. They even manage to squeeze a mini guitar solo into the final 8 seconds.
In short – this EP comes highly recommended. It reminds me of the Death Threat Cassette record with the way it takes its influences and spins them into something wholly original. The band is currently gearing up for a tour of Europe, culminating in a number of shows in the UK. The EP will be available on tour as well as directly from the band via their website http://www.cable35.co/home. You can also follow the band via their page on “The Social Network”.
Verdict: Spores of Delight
For Fans of: Nirvana, The Melvins, Black Sabbath, Alice in Chains, Mudhoney
Tracks:
- Sanitation
- Andy Shakes
- Rental Sunshine
- Spinach
- Coconut
- Underground
- Boznich
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6xTZBJm6Pw]