Unfairly dismissed as rock journeymen because of their previous work with John Squire's Seahorses, Chris Helme, and Stuart Fletcher are men who deserve a chance to prove themselves on their own terms.
And, with new combo THE YARDS they grab such an opportunity with both hands and run. Sure, in commercial terms "The Devil Is Alive And Well And In DC" is a low profile return on their own label, but its' four excellent tracks leave you in no doubt that this is where they must be allowed to drop their enforced baggage and move ahead without continual reference to the past.
"The Devil..." was initially released quietly during 2003, but it's about to get a full-scale release in Japan and with the band currently mixing tracks for their forthcoming debut album, this is an ideal time to check this introductory EP out in detail if you missed it at the time.
The title track leads off and will be an immediate shock to the system for anyone who thinks The Yards will be a carbon copy of The Seahorses. Helme's anti-Dubya lyrical invective was inspired by Michael Moore's "Stupid White Americans" and harnessed to sawn-off, descending riffs more akin to The Stooges' "Funhouse" than anything remotely connected to Britpop, it's short, thunderous, nasty and - in the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion disaster, sounds more potent than ever.
Admittedly, the EP's other three tracks do showcase a more traditional singer/ songwriter bent, but it's very much Helme and The Yards' own vision and there's a knowing, world-weariness here that's really attractive in its' own right. Second track "Only Myself To Blame" is a bittersweet treat, with Fender Rhodes from John Hargreaves and some fine, descriptive work from guitarist Paul Banks (who's since been replaced by Chris Farrell if my info is correct) and finds Helme in superb vocal and lyrical form. "There's a trail of destruction in my wake, is there a limit to the shit that you can take?" he sings at one point, acutely aware of his recent history.
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It's affecting stuff, and so are the EP's two remaining tunes, "Take What You Want" and "Get Off My Back". The first arrives in chiming folk-pop shape and - to these ears at least - has a tinge of early Bowie in its' strummy, string-assisted design. The keyboards are again a natty touch (is that a harpsichord?) and Banks' Mick Ronson-style guitar is again an important factor as the whole thing whips up into a joyous maelstrom at the end.
"Get Off My Back", meanwhile, is surely Helme's most direct shot at his detractors. "I'm at home, hidin' from the man I used to be," spits Helme at one point before the Beatles-y crescendo and buoyant backing vox kick in to quite spectacular effect. Indeed, as elegant ripostes go, this is certainly stirring stuff.
"The Devil Is Alive And Well And In DC," then, successfully stakes a claim for The Yards as an exciting band in their own right who shouldn't be forced to claw at the shadows of the past forever. There's been a couple of line-up changes since they laid these tracks down last year, which might potentially alter the dynamic a little, but the spirit here burns bright and true. Here's to that abum.
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