Clinic - The Witch
[Domino]

The Witch has all the hallmarks of a great single by these purveyors of psych-pop. It's the most "Clinic-sounding" song on new album Do It! making it an obvious choice for the LP's second taster (after February's free-to-download effort Free Not Free), but elsewhere on the long-player is where heads are really going to turn; the band venture into skewed acoustics, frazzled blues and spoken-word acid-psychedelics.

But that's another story altogether - back to The Witch, front man Ade's vocals are as tense and nervous as ever, uttering paranoid words of a witch-hunt in his distinctive and anxious elf-like drawl. A taut one-note bassline, refrained organ, chimes and maracas supply the backdrop in this jaunty offering, which acts as one of their most upbeat moments.

It is typical of their style, let's not deny that, but The Witch is a great reminder of just how unique and awe-inspiring Clinic's hybrid is, so much so that it still sounds incredible eleven years on from the self-release of their debut 7".

(Watch The Witch video here)

7" Track Listing:

1. The Witch
2. Earl Mallard
3. Hijack