You know the phrase “what’s in a name?” well in this case. Nothing.
And yet also everything.
This four tracker from Indonesian Junk, had me assuming – from the band moniker – that I was going to be listening to a quartet of songs that were full of all the fizz of Cheap Trick. Except in this case mommy and daddy are most definitely not alright.
It all starts as you might expect, the guitar work is jaunty. Then the first line: “nobody, nobody, nobody treats me like a chump.” And the way it’s delivered, well that sounds like Daniel James has been sniffing glue, as he manages his best punk rock insouciance.
And that’s where “Darkness Calls” really kicks in, because “I Could Die” is a true journey into the wilderness. If it is punk rock then it is punk rock with a low slung lead here and a melodic twist there, because while there are a million bands that this sounds a bit like, then it is truly original. “See The Light” even manages to be epic. Thundering, well, like Johnny Thunders and ending in a cacophony of guitars.
In between, there’s a cover of Kiss’ “C’mon And Love Me” which, to be honest, sounds like a threat not a suggestion, and they even add a snippet of “Detroit Rock City” for wilful kicks.
And if you want a handle on Indonesian Junk then that might be the one: They can make the world’s most corporate band sound like they want a knife fight down a dark alley. To do that you must be truly dangerous.
A real walk on the wild side. You’ll be scared at what you find – but its worth a look.
Rating 8/10
