Reptiles - Reptiles (EP)

Fri 20th Jul, 2007 in Music Reviews

The self-titled, three-track demo from Melbourne’s Reptiles is like a melange of Television’s ‘Marquee Moon’ and Mudhoney, with vocals reminiscent of The Horrors. It’s got promise, but it’s not overwhelming or particularly innovative.

Reptiles, either too rock ‘n’ roll or too lazy to write a press release – beyond professing their dislike of ‘nu-rave’, their love of distortion pedals and their nonchalance about playing in front of older girls, have taken a purist tack in terms of referencing their musical heroes, and have come up with a very out-of-the-box grunge sound – replete with distorted guitars and maudlin vocals.

The shortest track on the demo, Haunted House is the better of the three, and has been earmarked for airplay by the band. However, the tracks sound very similar and I would have liked to have seen another dimension to their music. The sound that Reptiles are aiming for is a pleasant reminder that, in an era of converging musical genres and ever more polished and neatly packaged releases, there’s up and coming bands making rough and dirty, guitar-driven rock. On the other hand, playing indie or grunge music doesn’t have to be synonymous with a lack of depth or diverse style.

So, on the one hand I’ve got to tip my cap to the band for sticking to their guns and true to their influences. On the other, it’s almost too rigid and two-dimensional to be relevant or fresh. Reptiles are full of potential, and are worth a look – I just don’t think they’ve hit their straps yet.