National Snack - My Head Hurts

Hear The Track Here

Although I don't do that many full album reviews, I do get asked to do the odd one or two. You may remember that, a while ago, I reviewed an EP (albeit with six tracks) called Apply Machine for fellow Londoner's National Snack. It received a Must Have rating from me because a) the music was really good and b) it was most decidedly a different sound. Although there are a great many really good musicians amongst the unsigned community - and even some great ones - a lot of musicians tend to stick to the tried and tested, with rock and hip hop being the most favoured markets. There are, I contend, very, very few musicians are are different enough to stand out - National Snack are different enough.

They are a three piece (comprising Gemma Storr and Joe Carlo (guitarist and bassist) and drummer Phil Casey) and the sound they make is - to put it mildly - somewhat punky in tone. However, each of the tracks from Apply Machine is rendered at a full 320kbps which should tell you that whatever they sound like, this band is about a certain kind of fidelity. My Head Hurts then, is the free single download from the EP which you can get by clicking the link above or even here. You'll have to sign up to the bands mailing list to get your free copy but hey, you should be doing that anyway. One of the standout tracks of Apply Machine was My Head Hurts so if the EP is beyond you, try the single.

Musically, as I said in my initial review, this may sound rough and ready but take a REAL good listen to it and it becomes obvious that despite it's just over a minute of life, a lot of thought and innovation went into this track. There is a strain of UK based music that is both hard and good-timey and National Snack plug into that scene like gangbusters, The traditional take on English rock as personified by (say) Ian Dury, Tenpole Tudor and even The Clash at their most raucous is where National Snack have set up base camp, so if that sounds like the kind of thing that might tickle your ear canals, go get a listen.

Short, sharp and to the point. Class high energy UK pop rock, Highly Recommended.