Merchandise – ‘Little Killer’
The foggy-eyed Floridians Merchandise have released the first new track from their forthcoming album After The End, a track with Smiths drops and Cure licks; it’s a piece of indie perfection called ‘Little Killer’.
The most conventional song they have released to date Merchandise are taking a slightly more affable approach to this new record, and it shows. The song after the initial disturbing distortion, which floods the introduction of the song, we quickly saunter into jangly guitars and a deep vocal reminiscent of Morrissey at his skinny best with a hint of Springsteen’s growls.
Ever the innovators, Merchandise have moved from the melancholy industrial melodies that brought them to our attention to a more pop-driven sound, which, far from popularising the band, actually put them further into their own niche. There are so many dream-pop, shoegaze, or whatever ethereal-laden clichés of a genre around at the moment. Merchandise, however, are proving that songwriting and songcraft still firmly exist.
As vocals leap and growl, moan and groan and generally encapsulate the song, it is the relentless riff that really puts the song into the 1980s indie category. It flits between The Cure and Johnny Marr with effortless ease without sounding like a crap copycat rendition. In fact, it is an obvious progression when you think about it.
Since forming in 2008 after having played in countless hardcore and punk bands, Merchandise came together to create an atmospheric post-punk sound which, if British musical history is right, would allow the natural ‘next step’ to be the mournfully lyrical, upbeat guitar sound of the mid-80s – I am really looking forward to their Madchester phase. Seriously though, this is a band not only willing to venture and explore out of their comfort zone but are happier when doing so. They are unwilling to be categorised and seem intent on taking on any cynical critic who tries to pigeonhole them.
Merchandise with ‘Little Killer’ have a track that not only acclimatises them more easily with a generation whose insatiable need for angst is matched perfectly by their desire to dance, but also further establishes them as not only one of the best groups of musicians around but as one of the most highly anticipated bands of the summer – we can’t wait for the album.
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