| Artist |
| Entertainment |
| Title |
| Gender |
| Format/Cat |
| stick.43cv/adist07 |
| Label |
| Stickfigure |
| Style |
| gothic/post-punk |
| Date of review |
| 2 April 2009 |
| Reviewer |
| Stuart Moses |
| Rating |
| 8/10 |
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Entertainment sound like a band who are not willing to compromise. The sound is dense, with clattering drums and scratchy guitars. The vocals echo ominously. Discord and chaos are just around the corner. If you regard The Cure's Pornography as easy listening, then Entertainment are for you.
"Romance In The Rain" is about as far away from flowers and chocolates as you can imagine, but the edgy and dangerous sound is seductive. As long as you like your seduction to be of the grimy and sordid variety. "Swing Movements" starts with ghostly wailing and Bauhaus-style guitar atmospherics. The drumming is tribal and authentic. Despite the cacophony I'm drawn in. There is a shot of black humour in the lyric: 'We shall be happy.' Surely sir, you jest. "A Seduction Walks" has the drive and verve of early New Order, with general discordance spread generously on top. Do not listen to this when driving or operating heavy machinery.
"Patroness" has a hint of early Jesus And Mary Chain, particularly in the use of noise as an instrument. The intermittent bass work is worthy of praise. The tempo drops and things get weird around three minutes in. When the rest of the instruments come back this listener is thrilled by the band's verve and confidence. They are the masters of the chaos they have created. "The New Joys" sounds like a Cure b-side, from an early era when Robert Smith and friends liked to experiment. "The Nervous Talks" is more of the same. It sounds like it was recorded at the opposite end of a particularly echo-y dark alley. In a good way. You wouldn't want Entertainment rehearsing next door to you though.
"Confusion Of Senses" is bass-driven. It has a predatory feel, though with all the clattering going on it doesn't have a hope in hell of actually catching its prey. The guitars throb enticing and there's an effective use of dynamics. I'm exhausted by the time "Flesh!" comes around. Entertainment make music that requires effort, but your exertion will be rewarded.
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