大象传媒

Fiercely stuttering guitars, gnashing rhythms and piercing lyrics, sound good? Then Canizares have something that just might interest you. Is This My Stop? is an album of rough hewn gutter-rock, full of jaded confessionals and impassioned social observation. They play fast and loose, the production more off-the-cuff than pinned down and polished, but this lack of glister plays to the Belfast-based three-piece's strengths. Neil Lavery is a competent vocalist, albeit typically rock, conveying a ramshackle charm, lyrics splintered in his rough-edged delivery. However, it is the words he uses rather than his voice which carry real potency.

The frenetic trash-rock of 'High Heels' frames a vicious character study, woe to the girl with the green eyes, "nobody knew how to love her". The following, 'Day In The Life' is a fairly pedestrian rocker redeemed to some degree by a lovely bass line, reminiscent of The Cure, but it is on 'Dizzy Circles' that Canizares really hit their stride. The initial dreamy haze is obliterated by atomic drums and buzzsaw guitar, The Jesus and Mary Chain would be proud. Then we have 'Come Around' and 'Jungle Song', the two tracks that provide the fiercely palpitating heart of this record.

The former strides purposefully towards a brilliant chorus, Hughes hammering out the vocal as guitar and rhythms race to the heavens. Replete with sound effect explosions, latter track, 'Jungle Song', launches devastating verbal volleys against a warmongering Uncle Sam, the personal and the political are made one as the musicians detonate their own explosive compound, name-checking Saddam and 'Nam along the way. It'll have you declaring you love the sound of Canizares in the morning. However, after this dizzying peak, the remainder of the album feels a little like a descent.

'For You' is certainly forgettable and 'Forever Young' strives, the contorted vocal intriguing rather than infatuating, failing to elevate the track's blustering musicianship above the ordinary. Still 'Going Home' exudes plenty of attitudinal piss and vinegar with the delicious pay-off "Billy don't wanna be a one-hand job", whilst single 'On The Beach' provides humorous pop-rock high jinks. On 'Is This My Stop?' Canizares supply thrills aplenty, not enough for them to be considered an essential musical destination just yet, but it's an enjoyable detour nonetheless.

Francis Jones