aCivilian (sic) is less of a band, and more a musical project, created by Norfolk’s Phil Critten and using a range of instruments and genres to create a debut album that is though provoking and holds the interest.
There are eleven tracks on the CD, which would broadly fall within the indie rock category, however, within this there are elements of funk, soul, jazz and even the odd Eastern European vibe. Phil Critten’s influences are listed as being Chet Baker, Tom Waits and Rage Against The Machine, but in this CD you will find soundscapes similar to that of The Fall in places, and also late 1970s New Wave.
The opening track ‘cheat’ comes across like a slap across the face, all spiky guitars, sounding not a million miles away from ‘Fall Sound’ from The Fall’s ‘Reformation Post TLC’, but with more melodic vocals. The lyrics appear to be politically motivated relating to an unsavoury character: - “He cheats his power and he cheats the people/ His face is blank and his heart is feeble. What a broken man.”
The track that follows, ‘all this get me down wrong’ is completely different, an acoustic/electric guitar strum along, with synths and a brass section, an upbeat song with frantic vocals, and a green message: - “Poisoned breaths we’re breathing, my carbon stained food’s dripping/ On to what used to be fountain, hey, we should start recycling.”
‘Look what killed the master and his men’, is another change, with a guitar line that is similar to The Fall’s ‘R.O.D.’ from ‘Bend Sinister’, this insistent riff just builds and is augmented by horns on the chorus. This is a great indie pop song. The lyrics are a bit dark and impenetrable: - “Unified in rule and on feet, I broke out when reason took me/ They made fire, and fire burnt them/ Look what killed the master and his men.”
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Other tracks on the CD which stand out are: - ‘stop start’, with its plinky plonk keyboards, funky bass and shouted vocals, this is like 1970s new wave with extras.‘the same hands’ mines different territory, with its floaty melodic pop coming across as slightly psychedelic. This is a song about empowerment: -
“People I am ok, I am open, I feel ready. I thought I’d Lost hope, but then somewhereI came through fear to an answer.”
‘call the police’ starts with an almost carnivalesque atmosphere before moving into heavy thrash. This seems to be a stalker song.
“A hint of frantic on your face I see, I am the fear and you won’t look at me/ Is it my clothes or my whiskered jaw? Why are you rushing to lock the door?”
The album closes with the jangly guitar pop of ‘now is good enough’ an upbeat ending this is a bit of a protest song: -
“If we just want what we know/ How we gonna get to where we need to go?”
Overall, I really liked this CD. It has enough going on in there to force the listener to pay attention. And when they do, this is a rewarding experience!
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