EP Review - No Intelligent Life - Self-titled
Poking their collective heads through the Coast's music industry, No Intelligent Life (NIL)'s debut self-titled EP kicks off with an all-abrasive attack, mixed with sludgy slacker grunt. It's raw, and often gives a nod to Albini-era Nirvana, with off-kilter vocals that could care less. It works for NIL.
Second track, 'Edgar Allen Bro (Goes Raven)'... I have no idea what that means, but I could easily mistake this track for one in my 90s Australian Alt Rock mix on Spotify, jumbled in between The Fauves, old Spiderbait and very early Grinspoon.
There's even nods to late 70s/early 80s Australian Hard Rock in the following two tracks that round off the EP, particularly 'Bad Day', which comes across as a heavier ode to The Saints.
The guitars are gritty and so full of fuzz you could wrap them around your head as a warm musical beanie, the drums kick hard, the bass is bright, and the vocals, rough as they are, don't overpower everything else.
Produced by Angus Woodhead, No Intelligent Life's self-titled release isn't breaking new ground, but damn, if they can keep this up, they'll well and truly leave their stamp on our Coast scene.