There is much to be said for underrated bands that consistently plug away at the edges of the mainstream, year on year, before either releasing one acclaimed album and imploding (Easyworld), becoming, suddenly, an 'overnight sensation' on their fifth record (Biffy Clyro) or just fading, like 3 Colours Red, into misty-eyed dissolution.
Neils Children, a badly-punctuated name that has graced the bottom of those enormous gig-listing posters at respective Barflys around the country since 1999, look likely to do none of those things. Looking like The Horrors' embarrassing older brothers, the band have always fought allegations of being style over substance – and this, their first offering from new album 'Pop:Aural' does little to dispel these thoughts – a pretty mundane Nu-Goth racket with some distant Robert Smith-eque lyrics chucked In for good measure. There are a few good moments here - a Joy Division bassline and a nice little chorus that sounds a bit like The Coral – but hackneyed lyrics about "I tried to make life worth living/ but you didn't care" ruin any of the band's intentions. Most bands would have given up by now, and you have to admire Neils Children's perseverance, but really, we are the ones who don't care anymore.
Released 11/06/07 on 30:30 Records
Neils Children, a badly-punctuated name that has graced the bottom of those enormous gig-listing posters at respective Barflys around the country since 1999, look likely to do none of those things. Looking like The Horrors' embarrassing older brothers, the band have always fought allegations of being style over substance – and this, their first offering from new album 'Pop:Aural' does little to dispel these thoughts – a pretty mundane Nu-Goth racket with some distant Robert Smith-eque lyrics chucked In for good measure. There are a few good moments here - a Joy Division bassline and a nice little chorus that sounds a bit like The Coral – but hackneyed lyrics about "I tried to make life worth living/ but you didn't care" ruin any of the band's intentions. Most bands would have given up by now, and you have to admire Neils Children's perseverance, but really, we are the ones who don't care anymore.
Released 11/06/07 on 30:30 Records
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- rob watson who wrote a rather idiotic and tedious review of one of the most exciting and underrated bands around at the moment:neils children, is obviously either deaf or looking for work at the nme.just because a band chooses a dark outlook as a focus for their music does not mean that they should be overlooked or derrided. even if neils children never make it out of london they will always exude more originality and substance than the overrated scenester favourites; the horrors.
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- polly is a retard. Neils children where like that before the horrors!
- in case you didnt know the ’Scene’ nowadays is nu rave not gothic punk and they have made it outside London.
- i totally understand where u are coming from, but i also understand you dont realy undearstand the band yourself.neils children are extremely talented unlike the horrors they shouldnt even be mentiond next to neils children,ok big hair big ****ing deal thers debth in neils childrens sound and you are talking as if sounding like others bands didnt sell or people didnt like it; did the libs invent theyr sound? or the klaxons or even the horrors for that matter who sound like b52s gone mediocre.
- oh my god...tastes are REALLY different...rhey make great music, not selling themselfes of to a big label. i think they are making the music THEY like and they don’t try only to be succssesfull. there should be by far more bands like that.
» View all 7 comments~ by polly 6/22/2007 Report
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