Single review: The Sequins – Japan/Alive
Formed in 2002, by vocalist Hywel Roberts and guitarist Justin Hui, and with two singles, an EP and an album under their belt the Sequins aren’t exactly one of the more prolific bands around. However we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they go for quality not quantity, and judging by this latest release it would appear to be a fair assumption. The double A of ‘Man Alive’ and ‘On The Streets Of Japan’ is an odd record to say the least, though never quirky (general rule of thumb: odd=good, quirky=bad!). ‘Man Alive’ is rammed with ideas and guitar styles as it chops and changes through its three and a half minutes, though maintaining its fast pace throughout. On top of this is Hywel’s vocal which is even odder; he sounds like an English Feargal Sharkey with a bit of Bryan Ferry thrown in. ‘On The Streets of Japan’ follows a slow/fast pattern but is still brimming with ideas and this time an unusual stilted rhythm, but as with its flip side always remembers that it’s a pop song.
The Sequins have an inventiveness and uniqueness about them that makes it difficult to find comparisons, but I would imagine that Magazine, Pulp, Roxy Music and Orange Juice have all played their part in influencing them. In the hands of a lesser band I’m pretty sure Japan/Alive would have sounded like an awful mess, but in the hands of The Sequins it somehow works, and brilliantly at that. 4/5
Mark Cousens
www.myspace.com/thesequinsspace
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