Possibly the finest export from Northampton since Bauhaus, Medium 21 come blessed with a similar predilection for the darker side of life. Yet their overall sound is packed to the gills with the same sense of euphoria in miserablism that made Echo And The Bunnymen such a tantalising prospect between 1983 and 1984. Turning their hand to anthems ('The Plight Of Losing Out', 'Junctions In Our Sleep', 'Black And White Summer') and the heads-down new wave/punk ('Daybreak Vs Pride', 'Acting Like A Mirror') with invariably riveting results they manage to make post-punk sound exciting rather than merely regurgitating the past. In Jon Clough they have a vocalist whose unhinged, demented phrasing is similar to British Sea Power's Yan, perhaps their closest rivals especially on the slower 'The Wrong Road'. Whilst the latter probably have the stronger image brand, Medium 21 could well prove to be the more satisfying proposition in the long-term.
Possibly the finest export from Northampton since Bauhaus, Medium 21 come blessed with a similar predilection for the darker side of life. Yet their overall sound is packed to the gills with the same sense of euphoria in miserablism that made Echo And The Bunnymen such a tantalising prospect between 1983 and 1984. Turning their hand to anthems ('The Plight Of Losing Out', 'Junctions In Our Sleep', 'Black And White Summer') and the heads-down new wave/punk ('Daybreak Vs Pride', 'Acting Like A Mirror') with invariably riveting results they manage to make post-punk sound exciting rather than merely regurgitating the past. In Jon Clough they have a vocalist whose unhinged, demented phrasing is similar to British Sea Power's Yan, perhaps their closest rivals especially on the slower 'The Wrong Road'. Whilst the latter probably have the stronger image brand, Medium 21 could well prove to be the more satisfying proposition in the long-term.
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