Neighbours Burning Neighbours

What is in a name? It makes me think of a post modern dystopian, apocalyptic society. Not unlike 'Mad Max' or the future time in David Mitchell's book 'Bone Clocks'. No, the band name is not one to cherish. It is a trait of singer Alicia Breton Ferrer as her other band is called The Sweet Release of Death.

Neighbours Burning Neighbours has released a 7" single after releasing its first song 'Grace' late last year. So there are three songs out and they could not be more different. Yes, all three can be pushed into the louder segment of alternative rock. Live the music will reach eardrums splitting levels. Nowadays I bring plugs so can usually cope when necessary.

So let's start with 'Grace', the oldest song. In a way this is the easiest song to describe. The playing is early 80s post punk. Andy Gill has recently died I found out but he would have appreciated the song. Again, and I have written this a few times in the past months and years, the bands in the 10s and now early 20s who look back at that point in time musically are better songwriters. Just listen how the two guitars interplay with each other. The hedgehog may have his pins out in full, there's always melody in there and enough pleasure to amuse the listener. Something I always missed around 1980. The sky is blue and Neighbours Burning Neighbours doesn't mistake it for the fall out that never came (from a bomb. We did live through Chernobyl.)

The single opens with a surprising instrumental, '-1'. So?, does it last 1"12 in reality? I can't really say what the deeper meaning of the two guitar notes is that are played over and over and the soundscapes built around them. First in the drumming and crashed cymbals and slowly but surely more drawn out sounds from either a very treated guitar but most likely a synth. A utter and total surprise '-1' is in the context of all else.

The final song is 'Softly'. It starts not unlike '-1', but soon turns into a a vocal inferno. Am I glad that I don't double as Ms. Breton Ferrer's vocal chords. I would be bleeding the whole of the time. Courtney Love has a rival to fear. It is not just her crying out in deepest pain, anger and some fear that makes 'Softly' impressive. It is the contrast between the soft start and singing, the fairly subdued guitar parts. The drumming is firm, yet can't be seen as a precursor for what is to follow. The singing may be soft, it's not as if the singer sounds at ease. There's a tension that is built into the guitar playing as well. That's before the guitar sounding like an electric saw underscored the shouting flies into the song. 'Softly' is far from pretty. It is like an impressive, impregnable castle that nevertheless one day will fall, like most have in the past. The screamed out "What are you waiting for"? is like a cry of uncertainty. Will the walls hold? It is the sound of living in fear of what we dread most.

Wo.

You can buy Neighbours Burning Neighbours' songs here:

https://neighboursburningneighbours.bandcamp.com/


or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g