As a rule, your reviewer can't speak highly enough of Huddersfield's excellent Chocolate Fireguard label. After all, in recent times they've brought us magnificent, dancefloor-filling gear by under-rated geniuses like Kava Kava and The Bluefoot Project, not to mention the superb "Interesting Flavours" compilation: one of the few truly gripping, dance-related compilations of recent years.
So, on paper the idea of them branching out into rock seems a sound one, not least when local Huddersfield charges MARY-JANE have been paired off with Killing Joke's legendary guitarist Geordie Walker as producer and the four of 'em (that's including Geordie, like) have been packed off to a studio in Prague to lay it all down. Whoo, thinks your reviewer, rubbing his hands with glee: sonic nirvana here we come! Take me to Valhalla and don't spare the horses, James!
Er, or perhaps not, because sadly "What I Came Here For" is - to this writer's ears - the first time Chocolate Fireguard have come (if you'll pardon the pun) unstuck. Not that Mary-Jane are awful - they play competently throughout and rock well enough in places - it's just simply that they do little here to distinguish themselves from any number of wannabe rock god(desses) out there and rarely step out of the shadow of those they strive to emulate.
To be fair, they open up with conviction, thanks to "Lipstick." For sure, this one opens with a satisfying sonic squall: Rachel Goulding's riffs grind, the rhythms pulverise and Teri Flynn's vocals are of the sassy and gutsy variety. Although Geordie's influence is apparent in the grating guitars, the overall sound is very American and the track doffs its' cap to the likes of The Distillers and Hole at their early, ratty best.
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And therrin lies the rub. It's 'reminiscent' of these bands, but precious litle more, and despite Geordie's attempts to make the guitars sound diseased and threatening, even he can't make songs like "Love" and "Truth" amount to anything more than mildly pissed-off, standard issue buzz punkers. Mind you, these are considerably more acceptable than the 'BBC Live mixes' of "Not For The First Time" and "Overgrown", where a muddy-going-on-duff mix simply neuters the band and leaves you feeling frustrated.
The one other crack in the clouds is the title track, which is the slowest, most menacing thing here. This one sneaks up on you and takes a ball-pein hammer to your temples while Teri's voice smoulders all over you. It's the one place where they achieve the requsite scuzzy grace they clearly desire and suggests that they could yet mould something of intrigue and presence out of the punky bluster they're currently churning out without stamping their individuality on it.
So for once, Chocolate Fireguard might have to go back to the drawing board. The idea of expanding horizons into rockier territory is entirely laudable and I'm sure this label will do it with aplomb in future, but with this one they have a band who might do better to change their name from Mary-Jane to simply Plain Jane. Sorry folks.
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