EP REVIEW: Dumb ‘Chew Me Up, Spit Me Out’

Birmingham's Dumb have made one of the most exciting debuts to date.
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Dumb may be a recent addition to the big Brum hype but they don’t appear like the latecomers. The last year has seen them build a bigger fan base with support slots for the likes of Baby Strange, Superfood and Skaters, plus opening for their manager, The Charlatans’ Jon Brookes’ memorial night at the Royal Albert Hall last October. Their raw, gritty sound is what has made them stand out among the rest and it’s been made even clearer in their upcoming debut EP – Chew Me Up, Spit Me Out.

Fronting the fuzz-rock EP is ‘Retina’, which is quick to make it known they’re going bigger and larger than what we’ve become used to – “we like everything to be in your face”. There’s no use of run-of-the-mill twanging guitars, instead the amps have been turned up to ten leaving the over-driven guitars to take precedence. Dumb’s inaugural track, ‘Dive’, follows, not allowing any energy to be lost. High levels of confidence shine through with their scuzzy, daring riffs and snarling vocals that leave a resonating dark undertone.

The only new track on the EP, ‘Still I’m Stuck’, has stuck with their anthemic, raging indie style, but with the inclusion of even slicker melodies that balance out the record and a more upbeat side showing an increasing audacious side to Dumb. The EP ends on their last double A-side single release of ‘Supersonic Love Toy’ and ‘Two Bottles’ which results in a poppier ending, despite the continuation of the grittiness. The playful “oohs” of ‘…Love Toy’ haven’t forgotten about the previous swagger held as the authorative vocals work together with the guitar, bass and drums to make a new-age 90’s hit. There’s a little hint of Oasis shining through in ‘Two Bottles’, but the infectious party-style hooks and relentless loud-soft-loud shifts bestow something a bit more original that ends the EP with the obvious reaction of wanting some more from the Brummie newcomers very soon.

Dumb’s debut EP Chew Me Up, Spit Me Out is released on August 18th via Tip Top/One Beat and is able to pre-order as a limited edition transparent 12” vinyl here and as a 12” vinyl & t-shirt bundle here.

Rebecca Rogers