4.1.11

"The Diesel Dreams EP" - Indium

I knew the singer in playschool. Met the lead guitarist in primary school. Learned to play the djembe simply from watching the drummer do it at a youth group and i knew the bassist as a child in a creative writing group. Yes, Gavin, Elliot, Chris and Jack are Indium. It was a matter of time before these guys all appeared here on this blog. 

"The Diesel Dreams" is an EP that has to wear wellies because it's knee deep in grunge (if you get the reference...yeah I know, it was cheesey). If you can imagine the bands Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam got together and had a huge orgy, Indium would the (miracle and biological wonder...?) love-child. The artwork below isn't the actual EP artwork but I couldn't track down the actual cover. This is their more well known logo however.


Tracklist
1. "Make Me/Break Me"
2. "Flush"
3. "Bones"
4. "Justified"
5. "Generation"

The EP opens up with "Make Me/Break Me". This is the confident intro song you want. The intro begins atmospheric, sounds like someone knocking on a door and goes into this pedantic, ominious heavy rythm before the main riff. I gotta tell ya, it's one hell of a memorable and catchy riff that goes throughout the whole song. I like this song the same way I like my hookers: Bouncy and dirty with the just the right application of fingerwork. "Make Me/Break Me" is certainly one of the bands deal-breaker songs.

Next up on the tracklist is "Flush". This is the first song I ever heard from these guys and it's stuck with me since. It begins nice and mellow until the drums really pick up and the guitar suddenly goes from mellow to rearing it’s ugly head in some heavy riffage before you can say “Holy shit”.

Now, for me, there are two songs on this EP that stand head and shoulders above the rest. "Make Me/Break Me" was the first and "Bones" is the other. The intro is edgy, nerve-setting until that kick-in-the-arse, catchy-as-herpes riff. The breakdown-buildup into the solo at the cry of “Die alone!” from Gav Shortall, for me, is the highlight of the EP.

After this, we are led to believe that the EP has given it's all and is about to just chill out til the end with the easy going startoff in "Justified". It's so mellow and sounds like it's being heard from underwater. However, when it picks up, it becomes akin to "Freebird" on weed…in only a good way. One can really hear the Alice In Chains influence here, like something off of “Dirt”.

And finally, we're left "Generation". The intro melody isto this song is always the first thing to come to my mind when someone mentions Indium. This is a real unsung hero of the EP and perfectly describes Indium as a band: a combination of the sounds of Alice In Chains with Pearl Jam. A perfect finisher to the EP.

Now these guess have been innactive for a while do to personal circumstances but a certain little lead singing birdy told me down the pub that they're hoping to do a bit of recording this summer. This is certainly not the last we've seen of these guys. 

Now as I've said, they've been innactive for a while but here is a link to their Myspace page where you can listen to all the tunes on the EP along with a few bonus ones (such as their cover of Alice in Chains "Rooster" featuring the now defunct No Punk Intended. I know, an Alice in Chains cover, who coulda seen it coming?)

Song Highlights
"Make Me/Break Me"
"Bones"
"Generation"

Doctor's Rating: 8/10

"The Diesel Dreams EP" - Recommended by the Good Doctor

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