No Peeling’s self-titled EP is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it release. The first time I listened I thought it was only three tracks but it’s seven, so tightly packed you could barely slide a cigarette paper between them. If you’ve ever started running down a steep hill and found that you can’t stop until you hit the bottom, well that’s the feeling you get listening to this EP. It’s exhilarating, lo-fi, abrasive and yet the sing-song vocals are the soothing antiseptic cream on the scraped knee of the backing. The rough and ready production reminded me of Josef K’s album The Only Fun In Town where the band were unhappy with the slick production so went back and un-produced it (see also Family Fodder’s ‘Debbie Harry‘).
The blown out cardboard box drums, dry fuzz of the guitars and lacerating bass create a goodtime cacophony but never undermine the fact that No Peeling are super tight and huge fun. The FFO in the PR email included B-52’s and I hear that. Sharp tongue in cheek and you can’t go wrong with the couplet “I’m on knees for your Bichon Frisé, let me say hi to your Pekinese” from opening track ‘Can I Pet That Dog’ (video below).
There are songs about Resuci Annie the CPR training model, Bank Holidays (where they name check the band members as The B-52’s do in ‘Wig’), Hi Vis pedants (“health and safety is always his style”), pub culture (“what do you expect you had crisps for dinner” and “go home you’re drunk”), and an unconventional sculptor dad.
This is an album’s worth of material packed into much smaller container. I bought the EP and it neatly fits on a 7” (only 500 pressed).
It’s a rumble-tumble, free flowing, bar fight in a sweet shop. If bebop punk was a thing then No Peeling would the exemplar.
No Peeling are Dan, Sophie, Dom, Nick and Phil: Bandcamp | Instagram
Out on Feel It Records: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Review by Paul F Cook
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