British India - CounterCulture

Thu 15th Dec, 2005 in Music Reviews

It seems that for the past few years, particularly since the successful The Vines popped up, music journalists are constantly on the lookout for the “real saviours of rock”. If the hype is to be believed, British India are headed down this very path.

British India are a promising four piece act hailing from Melbourne, having picked up a strong reputation and fan base in virtually no time at all. So quick, in fact, that after just their second show they began scoring coveted spots of support to acts like The Music, Gomez and Hoodoo Gurus, as well as major festivals such as Homebake and the upcoming Big Day Out and Pyramid Rock Festival. Not bad for a bunch of 19 year olds.

Their sound is raw, angsty and gritty. Drilling rock at times with the occassional bluesy moment thrown in. Influences aren’t obvious; their sound has developed well, becoming something of their own style. It’s not music that is going to revolutionise rock, but it is sure to keep their momentum going strong.

Opening with Roses, you get the impression these boys were brought up on a staple diet of Mudhoney, Sonic Youth and Nirvana. But then moving on to Baby You’re So New York and they almost sound like they’re trying to tackle older-style Chili Peppers in a bluesy manner.

It’s really hard to say who they sound like. The aforementioned bands appear to be influences, but no single band can be pinpointed as the one to create the sound and style of British India, each song on the EP sounding rather different. On the closing track, The Time, there also appears to be a hint of Iggy Pop. It’s good to see they take such an approach to songwriting, one can definitely see the vast amounts of potential these guys possess to develop their own unique and genre-creating sound when given a couple more years of experience and experimentation.

The bio provided on their site is rather unenlightening, providing little real insight into the band’s accomplishments or timelines, though it suggests as they have watched the likes of The Vines and The Sleepy Jackson rise to national and even international stardom, they, too, would follow suit. Well, that is until you come across the last line proudly commenting, “It seems back in those days patience was a virtue.”

I don’t know about everyone else but I’m yet to hear British India played over the PA in the supermarket or in the background for Rove Live or the like. Good on ‘em if they think they’re already national stars and they’re pleased with it, but they most definitely still have a way to go.

British India are deserving of everything they receive at the moment. The indie elitists are sure to be pissed off, it won’t be long before these guys are Rolling Stone cover boys. Good on ‘em, I say!