Review : AMUSEMENT PARKS ON FIRE ‘All The New Ends’ EP

AMUSEMENT PARKS ON FIRE ‘All The New Ends’ EP (Saint Marie Records)

Three track EP, ‘All The New Ends’, continues the re-emergence from hiatus of Nottingham experimental-gaze-art-rockers, Amusement Parks on Fire. Now on the roster of influential shoegaze label Saint Marie Records, the band have been stalwarts of experimental indie rock since 2004.

Beginning with the with the eponymous track, it’s a driving start that sets the tone for the rest of the extended player – the band in no rush, letting the song build upon the rhythm. In this first track the lyrics float along, edging a little towards pop. The song highlights what APOF do so well in the details – breaks and instrumental sections last for just that bit longer than they would on many songs. It’s a subtle, but effective trick that marks the track out as something that bit different (if you’re paying attention). It’s a light, bright opening of a tune and no bad thing as it balances out what comes after.

Second track, ‘Temporal Rinse’, is all fuzzed white noise with textures and notes coming in and out of view. Again that slow, patient build to an ending is in effect. This EP is not one of quick fixes, it needs you to take notice, to listen to find all that’s in there, because there’s lots, but it’s down under the surface and you have to go look for it. Temporal Rinse feels like it’s trying to clean out your mind, pushing all extraneous thoughts and sound aside so you concentrate on what’s happening to your ears. It builds and builds, but gradually, incrementally, always feeling like it’s heading somewhere, but refusing to explode in cliché. It’s getting you ready for what feels like the EP’s main event…

…’Infernal Flame’. If the first track was a warm, bright opener and the second a fuzz-wipe of the mind then track three melds both sides of APOF in twelve minutes. The drums feel like they could be a little higher in the mix because everything feels locked around them and they keep it all moving, refusing to falter. Never really changing, the rhythm guitar sits on top, it’s almost overly repetitive, but it never quite feels like it. There’s always something happening, often in the background, some changing texture, some subtle extra layer of guitar until it decides to take it up a notch and squalling lead guitars fall into place. ‘Infernal Flame’ only stops when it wants to.

‘All The New Ends’ is an EP from a band that know what they’re doing, and are doing it their way. It’s an impressive collection of songs.

Written by Jimmy & Mark of Corasandel

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