★★★☆
In a Tokyo rock’n’roll bar recently, a middle-aged, tattooed German punk rocker told me about a mod revival happening in Indonesia.
The image of Indonesian youths wearing heavy green parkas decorated with Union Jacks and riding Vespas on the smog- and humidity-laden streets of Denpasar was too fascinating to ignore. Surely this is globalisation in its ideal subcultural form?
Little Murders started out during the original mod revival back in the late 1970s. Singer and guitarist Rob Griffiths isn’t the young mod of yore, but he still writes songs with a melodic spring and rhythmic bounce. ‘24 Hours From London’, ‘All The Money In The World’ and ‘Merry Go Round’ are sprightly and infectious. ‘Whenever I Look At You’ is a love song with passion and attitude; ‘I Love The Chemicals’ might be an old mod looking back whimsically on the pill-popping days, or a dude realising the natural chemicals of romance are better than any purple hearts produced in an illicit warehouse. ‘So Bad’ is earnest and plaintive, while ‘God, It’s Been So Long’ is straight from the heart.
According to clichéd suburban sporting commentary, you can’t buy experience. And you can’t buy pop sensibility, either. Little Murders have got it in spades.
Released independently,Hi-Fab!byLittle Murders is available now on bandcamp.
