REVIEW: China Drum, Self Made Maniac (Beggars Banquet)
- Bob Gajarsky
The trio of the brothers McQueen - Dave on bass and Bill on guitar - and singer/drummer Adam Lee have returned with their latest full length release, Self Made Maniac.
Featuring instant in-your-face guitars, with periodic background harmonies (!), the pop-punk, Ned's meets Inspiral Carpets and Wonderstuff sound of China Drum proves the perfect medicine for those sick of Green Day wanna-be's.
The first single and pseudo-title track, "Fiction of Life", dispels any myths that punk can't have pop sensibilities. And if you listen closely, you can almost hear sped-up R.E.M. guitar chords, on this one (bits resembling "Second Guessing") and "Down By The River", with its opening similar to "Ignoreland".
"Guilty Deafness" veers perilously close to Metallica, but reverts just before crossing the line into never-metal land. "Another Toy" showcases the band's darker side, with its 'When I'm broke and you are gone, you will find another toy' lyrics accompanied by appropriately brooding guitars.
Unfortunately, some of the punk attitude (think early Husker Du) which marked their first release, Goosefair (510/MCA), and European EPs has veered more towards the pop-rock side. This maturation process may lose some fans who favoured three chords and a cloud of dust, but those who stick around for the entire trip will be pleased with the final results.
