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To The Bones
To The Bones – Duke Type A (Medici Records)
Chris Long

Just what are To The Bones? It sounds like an odd question but the truth is that despite their glorious riffs and big drums, it’s one that everyone who encounters them is hell-bent on answering.

Some take a look at the long locks and love of comic book art and push them in the direction of heavy rock. Others take their surging choruses and grizzled vocals and point them towards grunge.

Both of those opinions are wrong. If you really do want to stick them on a list, then you could probably file the Bolton four piece under heavy indie post-rock – but in all honesty, you’d be better off just shoving on this, their energetic debut, and just enjoying the whole thrilling, dynamic, electrifying brilliance of it.


To The Bones - Duke Type A
They are a band who wear their vast expanse of influences high on their sleeves – across the ten songs, nods to The Stooges, Motorhead, the Pixies and Queens Of The Stone Age all pop up, as do a myriad of others – but the beauty of 'Duke Type A' is that is undoubtedly the sound of To The Bones and no-one else.

Whether it’s the out-of-control rollercoaster of 'Sonic Mammoth', the tense, brooding paranoia of 'Lips On Red' or the dizzying pace and muscle of 'Sharkies Bone Symphony', the tight, frenetic finery of the band is present in spades.

Top of the pile are 'Rex' and 'Cay Augustina'. The former’s power was fine enough to make Manics producer Dave Eringa insist the band work with him, the latter has the intoxicating ability to make you try and start a mosh pit even if you're listening alone.

These two tracks alone are enough to sell the splendour of To The Bones to anyone. The fact that they come surrounded by eight more gems only makes it better.

With this much determination and talent on show, 'Duke Type A' should be the first step along a glittering path to stardom, regardless of how they’re tagged.

Reviewed: To The Bones and more at In The City >