The Blank Attack came about when Jon Wobesky (bass, cornet) and David Kirkdorffer (guitar) decided that it was time to put together a project. David wanted a departure from the ambient scene he had been working in, and Jon saw the opportunity to take a break from his horn duties with Reverend Glasseye. They started writing material with a drum machine but decided that they needed a more human element so brought in David Ross (previously of Girl on Top). But, they still needed a frontman, and who better than Adam Crary? Adam had previously fronted the incredible Specimen 37, who to my ears are easily one of the best prog bands to come out of the States in recent years, but as that band had gone on hiatus he was looking for an outlet.
I’ve really been trying to think of the best way of describing this album, but for the most part the best description is probably a stripped down Hawkwind, with elements of punk in the abrasive guitar attack. Opener “Tally Ho! (Quick! Back to the Tardis!)” is just wonderful, as any song containing three exclamation marks in the title is always going to be. But one of the most incredible is the reworking of “Ain’t No Sunshine”. My initial reaction when I heard it was that it was post-nihilistic punk, but on reflection I’m not sure what that actually means. How about Lou Reed doing a version of this on ‘Metal Machine’, with some Stooges thrown in for good measure? What makes this really incredible is that while the guys re providing this stripped down metallic version of the song where often it is only the bass that is following the original note structure, Adam is providing wonderfully clear and melodic vocals over the top. It is the clash between the two totally different styles that really makes this worse – and my poor abused ears prefer this to the original!
This is an incredibly bouncy album, one that always makes me move when I play it, and yet again I bemoan that state of the record industry when music as good as this will be ignored in favour of the latest plastic creation. Solid gold from start to end.
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