Truly
- True Belief By Liz Evans
MOST ROCKING MOMENT: The delicious grind of 'Blue Flame Ford'. Truly grind dreams out of guitars. They twist up emotion and spin it out through
sonic whirlwinds of blood, sweat and power. Locking into each other with uncanny
precision, they collectively unfold huge great waves of sound, rattling the
tiny Camden venue to the core. It would have been no surprise if cracks had
opened up across the ceiling tonight.
A trio from Seattle, Truly are fuelled by passion. Bass player Hiro Yamamoto
(formerly of Soundgarden), drummer Mark Pickerel (a founder-member of Screaming
Trees) and Robert Roth (ex-Storybook Krooks) each boast respectable but varied
pedigrees which have exploded on contact to forge something compelling, haunting
and rich. Despite the sorry scattering in attendance. Roth flings himself into
the heat of the music, wrenching the very soul out of his guitar, while Yamamoto's
intense and rumbling bass lays a dense earth for the spitting fire of songs
like 'Four Girls' and 'If You Don't Let It Die'. Pickerel hits out sensitive
rhythmic patterns, twirling his sticks inbetween the beats, and kicking the
bass drum hard enough to shake the floor. The dynamics are awesome.
Highlights are 'Blue Flame Ford', a dark storm of a song wound around a predatory
riff, and the sexual grind of 'Hot Summer 1991'.
Psychedelic punks with ultra-loud guitars and ultra-heavy sensibilities.
(Kerrang!, November 8, 1995)
Camden Underworld, London - Tuesday, November 7
LEAST ROCKING MOMENT: The distinct lack of support from their
record label.
BEST ONSTAGE QUOTE: "Good evening London!" - deliberate Spinal
Tap-isms.
VERDICT: A total sonic whirlwind. 4/5