There was a time (and this Bluesbunny remembers it well) when pop music was sweet and sugary. An uplifting experience that caused you to hum along, that kind of thing. As time passed, the music business was infiltrated by "angry young men". These "Angry young men" have taken many forms over the years (beatniks, punks etc) but the end result is that your popular music is no longer the comfortable listening experience it once was. Such is the case with this 4 track release from Miss The Occupier.
Jagged guitars characterise the title track "External Male". They underpin Roz Davies' vocals before adding themselves into the sonic maelstrom that constitutes the chorus. "Dead Pirates" is more like a conventional indie pop song but this is no navel gazing exercise and it exorcises its demons in a suitably brash fashion. Floor shaking drums courtesy of Ione Campsie bring "On Finding a Lie" to life with some subtle hints of early Blondie coming to the surface. Swapping in Magnus Hughson on vocals for "Platinum" changes this band's abrasive approach not one bit but almost manages to make this band seem more - for want of a better word - conventional.
Perhaps underneath the sonic maelstrom there lies a gentle soul but on the evidence of these four songs, the discordant voice of disaffected youth sings out loud and clear.