BIS – THE SECRET VAMPIRE SOUNDTRACK EP (CHEMIKAL UNDERGROUND)
If there was one single/release that kick-started the indie scene in the mid to late nineties it was Bis with their lo-fi stomper “Kandy Pop”. Seemingly coming out of nowhere here appeared to be the weirdest band ever to appear on Top Of The Pops, Big Breakfast and a whole host of other mainstream entertainment shows. Within days they appeared to have leapt out of their bedrooms and straight into our homes via the television and radio. It may have only lasted about five minutes and soon the adult world had kicked them back into touch but the brief explosion was enough to send the smart kids into some kind of excited frenzy.
The post-grunge years were killer on the small-town music fan. After having something really great that was available and within touching distance suddenly the sense of fun and adventure had been grabbed back and put into the hands of all the parent approved Britpop bands that were dancing on Kurt Cobain’s grave within six month.
Seemingly in response to this Bis came down from Scottish pushing their version (the latest version) of the DIY ethic and a seemingly flatlining indie scene was suddenly rejuvenated again.
There is a ripe energy to “Kandy Pop” that sounds just as good today as it did back then. Manda Rin sounds like Kathleen Hanna as eagerly constructed and impatiently awaited hooks really sting the listener. The spiky sentiments of the song are strangely self assured considering the scene they were at the top of the tree of. Relenting and affirming this was a true oasis.
With “Secret Vampires” they nailed a genre years ahead of its reinvention, comparing and repainting a nation of shut ins as something actually more cooler than they were. The boy-girl vocal exchange tasted like Blur exchanged for Huggy Bear.
The “teen-c power!” anthem ultimately proved a sad declaration housed in a wonderful piece of titular indie white boy hip hop rhymes. This was a band with so many hooks that any plaintiff could only take offence at the gestures being presented to them. Taking notes and cues from the success and failure of Riot Grrrl here was great notion that just needed a bit more backbone and experience. They had enough kids in their hands and just didn’t really know what to do with them.
Closing comes “Diska” which sounded almost like Devo in nappies several years before Disney provided that abortion.
Everything about this package was great. The sleeve looked like a fanzine extract with just enough colour to make it glam on the correct scale. These were last throws.
Thesaurus moment: spry
Bis
Bis interview
Chemikal Underground
If there was one single/release that kick-started the indie scene in the mid to late nineties it was Bis with their lo-fi stomper “Kandy Pop”. Seemingly coming out of nowhere here appeared to be the weirdest band ever to appear on Top Of The Pops, Big Breakfast and a whole host of other mainstream entertainment shows. Within days they appeared to have leapt out of their bedrooms and straight into our homes via the television and radio. It may have only lasted about five minutes and soon the adult world had kicked them back into touch but the brief explosion was enough to send the smart kids into some kind of excited frenzy.
The post-grunge years were killer on the small-town music fan. After having something really great that was available and within touching distance suddenly the sense of fun and adventure had been grabbed back and put into the hands of all the parent approved Britpop bands that were dancing on Kurt Cobain’s grave within six month.
Seemingly in response to this Bis came down from Scottish pushing their version (the latest version) of the DIY ethic and a seemingly flatlining indie scene was suddenly rejuvenated again.
There is a ripe energy to “Kandy Pop” that sounds just as good today as it did back then. Manda Rin sounds like Kathleen Hanna as eagerly constructed and impatiently awaited hooks really sting the listener. The spiky sentiments of the song are strangely self assured considering the scene they were at the top of the tree of. Relenting and affirming this was a true oasis.
With “Secret Vampires” they nailed a genre years ahead of its reinvention, comparing and repainting a nation of shut ins as something actually more cooler than they were. The boy-girl vocal exchange tasted like Blur exchanged for Huggy Bear.
The “teen-c power!” anthem ultimately proved a sad declaration housed in a wonderful piece of titular indie white boy hip hop rhymes. This was a band with so many hooks that any plaintiff could only take offence at the gestures being presented to them. Taking notes and cues from the success and failure of Riot Grrrl here was great notion that just needed a bit more backbone and experience. They had enough kids in their hands and just didn’t really know what to do with them.
Closing comes “Diska” which sounded almost like Devo in nappies several years before Disney provided that abortion.
Everything about this package was great. The sleeve looked like a fanzine extract with just enough colour to make it glam on the correct scale. These were last throws.
Thesaurus moment: spry
Bis
Bis interview
Chemikal Underground
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