Introduction
In the current febrile climate, and leaving expletives aside, it’s difficult to think of a name more likely to rile up a certain demographic than Your Heterosexual Violence, which it makes it all the more astounding that this five-piece band was first appeared in 1982. Founded on the principle of refusing to tolerate intolerance (homophobes, transphobes, and racists need not apply), Your Heterosexual Violence may have spent the last thirty years in suspended animation but, with the arrival of the perfectly titled Some People Have Too Much To Say, they have emerged with one hell of a headache, and they’re none too pleased at the state of things.
Formats
Released via the brand-new offshoot from the ever-reliable Trapped Animal Records – We Go To 11 – Some People Have Too Much To Say is available on a typically tempting array of formats including signed blue deluxe vinyl, blue vinyl, black vinyl, CD digipack and, for early risers, a signed test pressing. You can also get it digitally, but if you do, you’ll go to hell, so don’t do that.
Our review copy is the blue vinyl and, as we have come to expect from the Trapped Animal imprint, it’s gorgeous. Almost entirely crackle free, the disc comes housed in a beautifully designed printed liner (with hand-drawn art from Dave Skull), although it can get a bit static-y if you’re not careful – as is often the case with this type of liner – and it’s worth grabbing a poly-lined sleeve just to keep it pristine. Otherwise, it’s a beautifully presented and pressed edition and it sounds fantastic.
The Album
Standing somewhat at odds with the current, somewhat polished take on antagonistic punk rock, YHV incorporate a heavy dose of West Coast psychadelia into their sound, as demonstrated on House Outside The World. A heady brew that frontloads the guitars, throws in hazy, tremolo-washed keys, and split vocals in a manner that recalls Seafood covering Thirteenth Floor Elevators. At the other end of the spectrum, the unhinged assault of The Plan takes the battered punk rock of Minor Threat and pairs it with the semi-spoken words of Sleaford Mods. It’s a brutally minimalist track that doesn’t hesitate in telling the unwilling to fuck off, and it’s fucking awesome.
With the album having emerged as a schizophrenic little gem, Valentine’s Day combines the psyche elements of the opening track with a harder punk edge, even if singer Brian O’Brien, with his stinging sarcasm, ends up sounding uncannily like Nicky Wire at points. A more ramshackle affair, the descending riff of Love Will taps into the surf-infused punk of The Trashmen, while the grimy Wintershowtime is a tawdry tale of sex and drugs that finds only apathy amidst the protagonist’s trawl to sate his lust. Blink and you’ll miss it, it soon gives way to the frenetic The Boy Who Had 10,000 Parents, which adds saxophone to the list of instruments and ska to the list of influences. It concludes an already impressive first side on something of a high.
The second side wastes no time, exploding into life with I Could Be With You, a sneering punk rocker reminiscent of The Undertones, that suddenly shifts gear when Jemma Freeman unleashes an awesome vocal that captures the feral spirit of early P. J. Harvey. The harder, faster Changing The Subject packs one hell of a punch, the slashed guitar riff only barely held in check by Andi Panayi’s clattering percussion, only to suddenly pitch into the fairground of the damned in the final seconds.
Another album highlight can be found in Just One Of Those Things, which adds a violin drone from Maris Peterlevics, the result sounding like The Clash covering Velvet Underground. The saxophone makes a welcome return on Man In Flames (At C&A), the track from which the album title is drawn, adding a jazzy flourish to proceedings. Then there’s the subtle, dynamic Song From The Bottom Of My Heart, a mini-masterpiece that highlights the skill at the heart of this band. The album wraps up with the light-touch No Search Results (For Weatherman On Drugs), which has an airy feel to it, providing a lightly emotional conclusion to the record. Interestingly, the album’s title returns, almost as a mantra, intoned by Jemma as the song slowly fades down behind her. It makes for a more enigmatic conclusion than might have been expected and it leaves you wanting to listen again to hear what other elements you may have missed the first time around.
An exceptional effort from Your Heterosexual Violence, Some People Have Too Much To Say is a varied album that takes punk as its starting point, throwing in myriad influences to become something much more interesting than a simple genre tag can easily express. With the band delivering solid performances, and an impressive supporting cast adding the necessary flourishes where it counts, Some People Have Too Much To Say is a dynamic album that keeps the listener guessing. 8.5/10
