A love of grunge and ghosts seems as good a foundation for a musical working relationship as any, and it was enough for Grundy le Zimbra and Simon Manstantone, the founder members of The Woe Betides to bond over.
'Never Sleep' demonstrates a leaning toward the poppier end of grunge that Weezer are known for rather than the sludgy, sweaty howl of Tad or the barbed anguish of Nirvana, but the guitars still pack some punch beneath the breezy, melodic vocals and as a whole, it's got a fair bit to recommend it.
The single, 'This Head, This Heart' is exemplary, being both grungy and poppy, with a hint of the gothic (not goth) about it. It's also fuzzy, fizzy and lo-fi, and seriously infectious. Ok, so the chorus line 'My head is bigger than my heart' may be stating the obvious in biological terms, but works on other levels too. Oftentimes, the focus is on dysfunctional relationships, such as on 'Sylvia' (Sylvia, you’re a terrible person / But I'll Never love anyone else') and 'Bone on Bone' ('She hates but cannot escape me').
There are a few less inspired and inspiring tracks: the rather middle of the road reflective indie of 'The Ape, The Owl and The Satellite' just doesn't excite, or stand out, and thus falls short of much of the album’s achievements. Standing out is something The Woe betides are abundantly capable of.
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There are hints of She Wants Revenge on the arch gothic 'Little Beliefs', which boasts a gloriously dense and distorted bassline, but it's tempered with an almost skiffly beat, and there's a bleak Depeche Mode kind of electro pop feel to 'One Of Your Pills'. 'Bone on Bone' is expansive and lurches from A to B via Q in the way that Oceansize are especially good at. The end result is an album that's at the same time diverse and coherent, and packs enough hooks to qualify it as an alternative pop gem.
The Woe Betides on MySpace
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