PureVolume

UNCUT MAGAZINE:

"THE LIKES OF INTERPOL HAVE LONG BEEN EMPLOYING THE FLAVOURS OF MORDANT EARLY EIGHTIES ‘RAINCOAT ROCK’ IN THEIR MUSIC, BUT SAN FRANCISCO’S MELLOW DRUNK ARE FORGING A NEW STRAIN FROM THE GENRE, DRAWING NOT SO MUCH FROM ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN AND JOY DIVISION AS THE WEDDING PRESENT, ADDING THE LITERATE SOCIAL COMMENTARY OF BLACK BOX RECORDER’S LUKE HAINES. REVIEWS TO DATE CITE THE CHURCH AS AN OBVIOUS TOUCHSTONE, AND THERE’S NO ARGUMENT HERE, BUT LEIGH GREGORY’S VOCALS ARE CLOSER TO ROBYN HITCHCOCK, WHILE THE CINEMATIC SWEEP OF THE GUITARS, IN THE HANDS OF BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE’S RICKY RENE MAYMI, OFFER AN EVANESCENT COUNTERPOINT TO THE OTHERWISE STRAIGHTFORWARD RECORDING AESTHETIC. FILE UNDER MIND-EXPANDING."



MOJO MAGAZINE:

"NEVER SLEEP AT NIGHT BOASTS THE EXPANSIVE GUITAR LAYERING OF TELEVISION'S ADVENTURE ALLIED TO THE SUBDUED GRACE OF YO LA TENGO... MELLOW DRUNK'S ROMANTIC MELODIES GLOSS OVER THE CRACKS ADMIRABLY. THE TITLE TRACK MAY BE MISLEADING HINT THAT THE WEST COAST STROKES HAVE ARRIVED, BUT THE LANGUID 'VERY STRANGE TIMES' IS A BETTER MARK ON A BAND AS MUCH IN THRALL TO THE DOOMED GRANDEUR OF PUNK ROCK FELLOW TRAVELLERS THE ONLY ONES AS TO THE BYRDS."