EP REVIEW: Quartz Carousel ‘Goop’

Quartz Carousel are a Manchester based three-piece, currently making noise doing the rounds on the city’s fantabulous music circuit. They have very recently released their 8 song debut EP Goop, which yours truly has had a wee listen to…

Goop shimmies and shakes through genres and ideas with marvellous gusto and enthusiasm. The theme here is definitely garage rock; stripped down instruments, some “man down telephone” vocals, and a bit of teenage angst in the mix. The album hops through a plethora of sounds and genres, between classic punk grrr, bopping ska and even a ‘50s rockabilly. When it works, something really cool and creative comes out of the speakers.

The music is driven by vocalist Dave, who has a Robert Smith-esque quiver in his voice which gives him a lovely listenability, telling stories with clarity and emotion. Some very funky bass is provided from Charlotte, and loud loud cymbal banging drums come in from Anthony. Standout tracks come when the band sound more upbeat and playful, my personal two favourites being ‘Whatever Else Could I Be’ and ‘Hey Janine’. ‘Whatever Else Could I Be’ has a proper skank-out bass, full of perky dancey self-loathing, reminiscent of Sublime but with an English twist – no bad thing at all. The group channel Ezra Furman via Weezer for ‘Hey Janine’, a high school slow dance track with splatterings of social awkwardness and drunken confusion. It’s really very good.

As it’s a first go, there are a couple of moments when the band’s openness to try different directions gets the better of them. When the band attempt to get too ironic, or too emotional, they end up sounding like they’re recreating early Arctic Monkeys tracks. Although the music doesn’t falter, staying well played and fresh throughout, the song writing suffers. The lyrics stop being clever and it all starts to sound a bit forced cool, leaving me screwing my face up at the speakers going, “come on guys, you can do better than this”.

Provided they don’t try too hard and have fun with their music, I can see Quartz Carousel doing some good stuff. The retro dancier sounds are definitely their strength, which makes me like them that little bit more as you don’t hear so many bands playing that way at the moment, and I do enjoy something a little different. So well done guys, let’s see what you do next…

Goop is out now.

Kat Tittley

@LeTitts

Kate Tittley

Kate Tittley

When not making cocktails for Manchester's finest, Le Titts is most likely to be found the other side of the bar in a cloud of smoke and wine musing loudly over her fantasy band line up, love of the album format and why nothing is better than The Stone Roses. And then spilling the wine...Loving the ride with GigSlutz.
Kate Tittley

Latest posts by Kate Tittley (see all)