Crushed Beaks - Scatter

Beginning as a duo of Matt Poile and Alex Morris, who quickly bonded over a love of trashy rock and slasher B-movies, Crushed Beaks quickly garnered an infamous reputation shortly after their formation for sweaty, alcohol fuelled live shows. Now, with new recruit Scott Bowley, the newly formed three piece have managed to add an extra layer of sound to their set-up which, in the case of Crushed Beaks, is the musical equivalent of giving even more E numbers to an already hyperactive toddler.

The power behind Crushed Beaks’ take on energetic noise pop is hard to ignore. The general aesthetic buttresses nicely with their fun loving contemporaries such as Playlounge and Nai Harvest, but with Scatter, Crushed Beaks prove themselves to harbour an additional level of spooky, cerebral playfulness. Opening track “April” wastes no time in launching from the starting blocks with tightly wound, gnarly aggression cloaked in a heavy parka coat of shoegaze as Poile’s vocals - bearing a striking resemblance to a mid-90s Damon Albarn - float over the top of the track like a spectre.

But Scatter really gets going with “Overgrown”, a track that showcases what Crushed Beaks are really capable of as the infectious hook and breakneck melody is bolstered by the ever present DIY aesthetic ensuring a perennial covering of energetic grubbiness. Clocking in a just under three minutes, “Overgrown” is perhaps not quite as hap-hazard as it might first seem - the maddeningly catchy chorus and radio friendly structure suggest this track has been specifically tailored for entry level media attention. And why not? It’s a tactic that seems to be working.

The band have decided to include older tracks on Scatter, like “Feelers”, a song that fist saw a release at the end of 2013. The track sits well in the midst of their newer material, carrying with it yet another sparkling chorus and a steady build of tension that explodes towards the end of the track like Deerhunter mischievously igniting a fireworks factory in the dead of night. But as the album carers towards its conclusion, Scatter threatens to run out of steam. “History” sees the energy take a decided downturn as the mid-tempo beat and shambling guitar line never really hit their stride. “Grim” has a nicely punky riff and the song has a length (1:54) to match, but the energetic punchiness ultimately seems to be missing.

But any thoughts of Crushed Beaks running aground are soon blown out of the water when “Memory Loss” comes around. The track drips with dense melody and rich textures of warped reverb that display Crushed Beaks’ knack for blisteringly energetic melodies - something that’s continued throughout album closer “Litmus”.

With Scatter, Crushed Beaks let you know they’re intent on having a good time, and want to make sure you do, too. The intensity may curtail towards the end, but the band more than make up for it with an album that has a core of bulldozer guitar lines and assaulting drums, all of which carry with them the promise of the best house party you’ve ever been to.