What’s going on? Anyone? No us neither, but we’ll try and fill you in. It seems that 2 is the new 4 and metal (the ‘a’ is obviously to be pronounced ‘aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa’ with a haemorrhaging falsetto, go back and try again) is the new electroclash. All of which makes hairy Oxford pair Winnebago Deal a Hoxton wet dream spread-eagled in an ‘ironic’ sawn-off Top Shop Motorhead t-shirt. Except there really is nothing ironic or high-street about them. Which is some kind of relief. But whichever way you look at it they’re a wet dream. But more in an adolescent rooting through his brother’s stuff, finding his Iron Maiden tapes and giggling at the wicked naughty grown-up cartoons on the covers that you’re not really allowed to look at and experiencing his first hard-on type way.
All the rest is right-time/right-place stuff. If they’d come along next Tuesday… It used to be that 2 pieces were confined to dance-pairings (there are only so many buttons to press at any one time), heartfelt duets (ahhh, harmonies), pub bound folkies (lack of friends) and Carter USM. And even Carter broke in the end. But since the White Stripes became everyone’s favourite band (pipe down at the back there) being a bass-less trad rock band has become socially acceptable. More than that, commendable. And to give then their dues, Winnebago Deal are both called Ben. Which is some kind of equivalent to colour co-ordination.
And they don’t need bass, in all honesty. It’d only make this barely post-caveman guttural chest-beating fest as thick as your mum’s porridge. Its light-footed stomping is what helps you make it to the end of this 7-track mini-album without feeling like you’ve eaten a bad pastie. Their recent Fugazi support slot that really brought them to people’s attention isn’t such a perplexing thing, there’s a hardcore conviction behind every disgustingly spluttered lyrical vignette. They’re the Darkness for people without canine hearing, having removed the upper-echelon shrieks and solos in favour of primal rumbles. Wayne and Garth would still no doubt be proud.