Great though they are, it must be said that MOVING UNITS are quite possibly the least 'Los Angeles sounding' band this writer's ever heard emanate from the legendary city of angels.
Which isn't to say this writer doesn't like what he hears on this self-titled debut EP (initially a vinyl only release on a small San Diegan label before RX/ Palm Pictures stepped in), it's just that he hasn't caught anything recently that's so rooted in the sounds that have previously typified two influential musical cities, namely Manchester and New York.
"Moving Units" is almost overwhelmingly early '80s in its' white boy funk execution and discipline, with the four tracks here all driven by bassist Johan Bogeli's Peter Hook-ish metre and melody, drummer Chris Hathwell's busy, hi-hat riding disco patterns and singer Blake Miller's spiky, percussive guitar.
However, when it's all pulled together, there is a kinetic energy involved here that ensures Moving Units sound contemporary rather than some derivative anachronism. Yes, Manchester's in there via the New Order/ A Certain Ratio rythmic pulses and so's the Big Apple, with the supple funk textures recalling both early Talking Heads, Liquid Liquid and heavier peers Radio 4, but songs like "Between Us And Them" and the richly sarcastic "Melodrama" have an irresistible edge all their own that suggests Moving Units could well be in this for the long haul.
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Blake Miller largely sings like he's being dangled feet first out of a tenth-floor window, but that only adds to the attraction of these four trebly, likeably neurotic tunes that uncannily transcend their influences with repeated plays.
"I am ordinary, I am extraordinary" yelps Miller during "I Am", capturing perfectly the strangely effective yin and yang of this cool, but unlikely LA trio. Damn: I'd better get used to the LA bit.
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