Friday 7 September 2012

The Minx - No Friends


The single ‘No Friends’ is littered with punchy riffs and a kickass bassline which will have you sprinting for the dance floor. So far, everything you have ever wanted in a pop-punk band right? Well, there is more! Not content to be another replica in The Clash and Green Day legacy, keyboardist, Kieran McIntyre gives the tune some mod-flavoured soul and a hint of Subway Sect’s classic: ‘Ambition’.  Meanwhile, it is the guitarists Chris Haddon and Paul Robinson which give the band real identity. The manner in which he uses his riffs reminds TT of Steve Craddock’s work on ‘Mosely Shoals’ and ‘Marchin’ Already’. The guitar parts on both are often understated but always manage to drive the narrative of the song forward and on occasion that they are prominent they are as infectious as athletes foot in a swimming pool.

Like The Clash and Green Day however, The Minx have a social conscious. With the Coalition returning to Westminster this week and talk of yet more cuts, The Minx’s call to arms (“Too many public hiding heads under the covers, your looking after number one…”) could not come at a better time.

The first b-side ‘Cold Outside’ demonstrates The Minx’s ability to jump in and out of the genre pool and produce class pop music. We’re certain that if Bombay Bicycle Club had grown up loving The Ruts and Skids then this would be the end product.

The 3rd and final track is ‘Scoops’, and is another 2 and half minute…….whaaaaaaaaaattt???? It’s actually 4 minutes 25 seconds!!!!!!! But don’t worry, they haven’t gone all Rick Wakemen on us yet. This is a prime example of the potential The Minx have. Sounding like a hybrid of Stiff Little Fingers and Secret Affair, it’s a good old fashioned “unite the crowd” anthem. Vocally, there is a smidge of early Alex Turner in there which should give burgeoning indie kids their way in but make no mistake Chris Haddon is his own man and will make his mark in a venue near you soon!

The combination of “Billie-Joe-with-and-English-accent” vocals and quintessential English rock n roll gives The Minx that ability to flirt with influences like Andy Gray and young female intern. The results are already proving dividends and the future of this band is going to be one to monitor very closely, folks.

'No Friends' is out now on Queen Street Records.

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