Collapsing Cities - Fear Of Opening My Mouth
[WayOutWest]

Auckland's Collapsing Cities apparently relocated to good old Blighty recently in an attempt to further their career. Now, considering the over-population of run-of-the-mill post-punk bands on offer, you may think this is the daftest idea since Cadbury's halted production of the mighty Wispa. But on the contrary, these New Zealanders who've been wowing audiences on their home turf for a while, are well worth investigating.

Contrived, boring sixth-form punk this is not; there's something refeshingly honest and brutally sharp about these two songs found on the band's debut single. 'Fear Of Opening My Mouth' is led by an incessant bass-throb and sharp-tooth guitars, lyrical wit: "if I'm still a telemarketer next year, I think I'll end my life" and impressively, they've nailed the true gang-chant singalong chorus without going all Fratellis or Kaiser Chiefs on us.

'All Your Friends Are Rats' isn't as streamlined, it's the rawer of the couple and with Warsaw-era Ian Curtis vocals, there's a sense of urgency without sounding like they've stepped into a clone machine. Keep your eyes peeled, Collapsing Cities are going to go far.

7" Tracklisting:

A. Fear Of Opening My Mouth
B. All Your Friends Are Rats