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At the minute, Nuneaton-based trio Dig Lazarus are out on the road with one of the most unique (and under-appreciated) bands that the UK has produced in some time – The Virginmarys. A pairing that makes so much sense, because, like The Virginmarys, Dig Lazarus are something a little different, and stick out from the ever-bulging pack. Debut album ‘Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time’ has been gestating for a while now, years actually, but the wait is finally over and Dig Lazarus can sit back with their feet up for a second or two.
Weighing in at 13 tracks (including a short spoken-word intro from head EODM Jesse Hughes) and forty-plus minutes, ‘’Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time’ is lengthy, but an album so many years in the making was never going to be over in the blink of an eye. Thankfully though, DTMWAGT is devoid of filler material added to pad the album out, instead, it’s like there is a secret party going on, and only those in the know are invited. A party packed full of variety and surprises lurking around each corner.
So after a cool-as-fuck sermon from Jess Hughes fades out on intro (and cunningly titled) ‘Sermon’, the trio of Ash Tustain (lead vocals/guitars), Atticus Hall-McNair (vocals/bass), and Jack Cotterill (drums/percussion), crash the party with the Therapy?-ish tones of ‘Road Runner’ – it’s brash, razor-sharp, and pogo-tastic, mate. At less than three minutes in length, it does what all good opening tracks do: get’s in amongst it, slaps the listener around the chops, and get’s out before the bizzies are called. There is a strong Queens Of Stone Age influence running through the album; ‘Never Change’ and the spikey ‘Tell Me Why’ being exhibit’s A & B, but, perhaps if you dig deeper during certain parts of ‘DTMWAGT’ (the album) then you might just discover how much of an influence, sub-consciously or not, Therapy? have been over the last few decades – listen to the punky bass rumble on ‘Tell Me Why’ – Therapy?’s Michael McKeegan, no? Therapy? – another band (like The Virginmarys) still doing it their way, and pretty un-fucking-appreciated. ‘Satisfied’ is alt-rock/indie-rock heaven with some killer vocal harmonies and a real snarl to Ash Tustain’s guitar tones, keeping the variety coming ‘DTMWAGT’ (the track) packs an almighty Thin Lizzy melodic guitar feel, so good that you might just find yourself peeking behind the curtain to check for another guitarist, those killer vocal harmonies from earlier are back again, in spades…but it’s the melodic guitars that take 1st place on the winners podium…quickly followed by the trumpet outro.
Other highlights would be the massive Doom/Stoner riffs that help bring an overpowering sense of weight to ‘Feel’, the rollicking good-fun (‘Dc-ish style) that is ‘Keep It Clean’ – expect this one to be played live at great speed, and the Foo Fighter-tinged ‘Sky Tonight’. The North Warwickshire noise-merchants have proved that waiting until the songs were just right, was the correct decision. In other words, they chose wisely. A very strong, eclectic debut album. The Virginmarys with these guys sure is one hot ticket.
Available October 15th, more information, here.
Exclusive advance copies will be available from the merch stall on The Virginmarys UK tour!
The Virginmarys UK tour dates with special guests Dig Lazarus:
8th Oct – SUNDERLAND @ Independent
9th Oct – EDINBURGH @ Opium
10th Oct – HUDDLESFIELD @ Parish
13th Oct – CHESTER @ The Live Rooms
14th Oct – HULL @ New Adelphi Club
15th Oct – BIRMINGHAM @ Dead Wax
16th Oct – MANCHESTER @ Academy 3
Review – Dave
