8 (or so) months after the release of their single, ‘Should’ve Gone Home’, garage rock outfit Gelatine return with ‘TV Dinners’ – a 4 song EP which clocks in at around 12 minutes. Short as it may be, this release is fun, energetic and full of personality.
The titular ‘TV Dinners’ is split into 2 songs. The first part, (TV Dinners I) is a real fan favourite. Hooky and unbelievably catchy, it’s not hard to see why. Upon hearing the studio version of this song, I was grinning ear to ear. From Isaac Barnes’ driving drums to the shifting basslines of Ross Mills, the track is grounded in rhythm and is a real clinic in garage rock.
‘TV Dinners II’ is full of surprises. Starting out as a real sludge fest full of accented chords, the pace picks up after only a minute to match its sister song’s mania. Full of gorgeous backing vocals courtesy of Melissa Rennie which perfectly compliment frontman Jason Houston’s vocal performance, the song suddenly reverts back to a slow, dirty heaven. Tribal vocals are next, followed by alternating fast and slow sections. In my opinion, this is the best song on this release, perfectly encapsulating Gelatine’s gelatinous sound.
‘Plasticine’ is a track which travels through many stages. Opening with a single guitar, the song then blazes through verses and choruses, before revealing a manic, harmonised guitar solo which is potentially my favourite moment on the whole EP. A drop in volume follows, before the track ends on a beautifully dreamy and chaotic note.
One song from this EP was released as a single – ‘Spud Gun’. Perhaps it is because I have seen the band wreak havoc live with a huge sound, but I wish this song was a little dirtier. This however does not mean the track fails in what it attempts. Lasting under two minutes, ‘Spud Gun’ continues the theme of upbeat, fun songs that make you desperately want to move. The song also shows Houston’s influence of egg punk bands like Uranium Club very prominently.
‘TV Dinners’ is a real blast. With outstanding performances across the board, it proves that they deserve to be sharing the stage with worldwide acts like Osees, and can hopefully push them further in that realm.