Kiyomori: 'Uprising'

Lyrical goth-rock is a quantity in short supply. Kiyomori provide a loveable take on The Cure, with jolly indie lyrics. It doesn’t sound like it should work, but it does. ‘Time By Myself’ is a hilarious take on isolation and prostitution - ‘We all get fucked anyway; we may as well get paid’. Like McClusky’s My Pain and Sadness, this takes a genre nobody thought was ripe for parody, and lovingly pays homage to it with just enough irony to be fun, and enough artistry to be more than a novelty.

Although the production is all DIY, the sound quality is remarkable for its clarity and the simple ability to highlight the vocals without losing the rest in the mix. ‘None Of The Above’, a critique of democracy, is a straight up punk number, that rips out a lean guitar line. A misguided and grungy solo lets the song down a bit, but the overall effect is unquestionably punchy. ‘She Goes On’ uses wah-pedal guitar in a funky pop song that draws on fairly standard suburban pathos. ‘Speak Clearly’ is more mystical, playing around with the structure of the song and confidently marshalling silences and electronic effects. It is the band’s most mature statement here and displays some enormous song-writing potential.

myspace.com/kiyomori

Written by Huw Green.