The Future Kings Of Spain have been unlucky: legal wrangles with their ex-label have delayed the release of this second album, following the success of the group’s self-titled debut record in 2003. Four years is a long time in pop music, and the opportunity to build on that solid base has passed. The group are essentially starting from scratch.
Creatively, the band have fulfilled their end of the bargain, as Nervousystem represents a considerable step up from their debut. The Dublin four-piece (following the recent addition of guitarist Karl Hussey) still sound like they were born in the wrong place and time period – send them back to early ’90s Seattle and they’d be a surefire college radio-assisted success – but they have become more skilled at their retro craft. The reference points (Nirvana, Pixies, Sebadoh, Sonic Youth) are all still present and correct, but they have now been fused into a more cohesive, accomplished whole.
Opener ‘Guess Again’ sets a familiar tone for the record: it’s obvious that Kurt Cobain is still the band’s hero, but in mixing the various extremes of his catalogue, they manage to craft something relatively distinctive. This opening track combines the raw pop-punk energy of Bleach with the mellifluous balladry of ‘Come As You Are’ to pleasing effect, and proves to be the record’s standout.
There are several other moments to savour, though. The group have a wonderfully deep, cavernous drum roll, which is used to particularly devastating effect on scorching rocker ‘One More Mistake’. ‘Lost and Found’ is a blank-and-pretty alt-rock chug, while ‘Syndicate’ and ‘Kick In the Teeth’ have a cool, mid-tempo swagger.
All of which should be enough to ensure that the Future Kings Of Spain can repeat, or even emulate, their previous successes, but pop music is not always that simple. On this form, however, the group have given themselves every chance of grasping a hard-earned break.