Fire Underground- Untitled

Back then this EP was released, the rock band Fire Underground was consisted of vocals, drums, guitar and clarinet. Do you spot something unusual here? No, not that! (clarinet) It's actually the lack of a bass guitar, so the sound is quite unique.

The way I received this CD is a story in itself. Standing outside the venue at the end of a Living End concert was a young guy giving out free CDs saying "come see our band". Seems like a great way to spread the word about your band. I wonder if the equivalent these days would be something like a bluetooth transfer of a free song onto your iPhone?

So, anyway, I will now proceed to look a gift horse in the mouth...

Big band swing and early rock'n'roll are cited as Fire Underground's influences, but to my ears it's closer to The White Stripes and The Vasco Era. 

As for the recording quality, it's a tough ask on a small budget with 50% of a typical rock band missing. There's always going to be compromises trying to achieve a full sound, but for me it's mainly that the lack of a bass guitar becomes obvious once the drummer switches from the boomy toms. Overall, I think it's a fine effort to make the most of what's available. In fact, after acclimatising to it, it's just something different and allows the drums and guitar more "space" to have a characterful sound. Also, the sound is refreshingly unprocessed, which perfectly suits the garage-band style.

Chase Scene heavily relies on a couple of simple riffs, but the driving energy carries it through well. And the clarinet is a nice touch. Speechless is more of the same goodness.

Due to the style of simple repeated riffs, I find the songs need interesting lyrics to hold my attention. Therefore the verses of Bam Bam Pt 1 don't work for me. The chorus, however, is brilliantly catchy and energetic. On the other hand,
School's Out has much more interesting verses. The only area it falls short of garage rock perfection is that the chorus doesn't really stand out. Perhaps combining the two songs would be a recipe for an instant classic...

Apologies to the band, but my favourite song on this EP is a cover. Can't Judge a Book is an excellent interpretation of the Bo Diddley classic. The original's excellent lyrics work a treat alongside Fire Underground's raucous garage-rock delivery.

Favourite songs

Chase Scene, Can't Judge a Book, Speechless

Worthwhile?

Far from being a stepping stone for an up-and-coming band, this CD is a unique and enjoyable listen in its own right.