album // Never Got Hip
While all of the trademark Foil elements - heavy drums, rapidfire punk guitar riffs and tense and intelligent vocals - are present on Never Got Hip, their second album for 13th Hour reveals a more emotive quality to the Scottish fourpiece. At times, Never Got Hip has an unexpected pop twist, and at others - on the string-soaked 'Groundwork', or 'The Ghost Of Vernon Howell' - a maudlin, almost weary tone. Like vintage whiskey, it's a perfect blend, a well-executed masterpiece that also now appears to be their swansong, since no new Foil releases have appared since this album came out in 2000.
Melody is an integral, and unchanged aspect of the Foil sound, demonstrated on tracks such as 'End Of The World', which also features Hugh's familiar half-spoken, half-sung narrative and a midsection reminiscent of many a tumbleweed and dustbowl scene in classic westerns.
At times, this is uncomfortable, depressing listening, reminiscent of the kind of bitter, bleak music favoured by Joy Division or Nirvana, despite the inclusion of the pop gem single 'Superhero No 1', or the supreme upbeat thrash of 'Half Life Bunker'. When they do let rip with their particular brand of high-speed rock, it is with a controlled and clipped professionalism borrowed from their influences (eg Fugazi, Minor Threat). With Hugh's refreshingly restrained vocal rarely straying into shredded rage territory, the duelling guitar interplay and drum fills are reminiscent of both Pixies and Sonic Youth (check out the Thurston Moore-isms embedded into 'Weird Kid').
What's frustrating about Never Got Hip, is that if this record was released - and better-marketed - today, it would possibly garner a degree of pop chart success. In the light of rock's sudden resurgence, a single like 'I'll Take My Chances' is miles better than some of the rubbish faux-punk that our ears currently have to contend with. It's simply an emotional masterpiece with a punk rock core; it rocks out whilst tugging at the heartstrings. The chorus on the final track 'Claremont Junction Optimist' perfectly encapsulates the contrast : 'You breathe new life into me / And I'll do what's necessary'. It's the sound of a reluctant coming of age, which would explain the school day images on the cover.