Bridezilla - Bridezilla(EP)

Thu 20th Dec, 2007 in Music Reviews

Bridezilla – Bridezilla (EP)
Ivy League

After what seems like an interminable wait, Sydney teens Bridezilla have finally come up with their debut EP. Having floated around the live circuit for some time, the band’s debut EP is surprisingly normal-sounding – some of their more adventurous tendencies have been buffed away on this first taster, particularly on opening cut Brown Paper Bag and Saint Francine. The freeform jazz saxophone is not necessarily readily apparent, while the violin too is similarly muted.

Yet if the band didn’t utilise these very elements, it would be doubtful that they would stand out as much as they do – for make no mistake, Bridezilla are different to your everyday fare. While Gold Coast teens Operator Please use punk stylings to make their songs quick as spreading fire and easy on the ear, Bridezilla are more into indie stylings, with the obvious reference points being fellow Ivy League graduates the Red Sun Band, and perhaps Polvo.

Yet there’s not overly much Sonic Youth in their sound, despite their sound resembling bands also inspired by the veteran noiseniks. The spaced-out vibe of Chainwork and instrumental Mister Young are fascinating, but they also tend to indicate that Bridezilla only have two tempos – a slower post-rock one, and a faster, more normally structured one. It must be remembered that Holiday Sidewinder (a.k.a. Holiday Carmen-Sparks, daughter of Australian singer-songwriter and actress Loene Carmen) is a mere 16 years old – and younger still when she wrote these tunes – so there’s certainly plenty of time for growth in the future.