Sons And Daughters
The Repulsion Box

THE REVIEW

Released with little fanfare and timid curiosity (at least in Italy, it's a different story for England) at the beginning of the summer, the first album by Sons And Daughters, while not representing anything new in the contemporary rock scene, has turned out to be a fresh and convincing debut.
The Scottish combo moves on territories already traversed by others (the first direct comparison that comes to mind is Violent Femmes), but with renewed energy and a lively and engaging attitude, without falling into pure citation. Sons And Daughters play something halfway between punk (as an attitude) and Scottish folk, sprinkled here and there with light noise. A mixture that, presented as such, can make many cringe, as it is not a new musical formula and always difficult to combine, given the contrasting elements it comprises.
However, strangely, Sons And Daughters manage quite well, producing a short and compact work (just under half an hour), and enriched by a beautiful female voice, sharp guitars, and a no-frills rhythmic setup.

As mentioned, the specter of Violent Femmes looms over the entire album, sometimes quite evident as in the sustained folk of "Red Receiver", other times less so, as in "Monsters". The rest may not be entirely their original work, but Sons And Daughters put all their effort into reworking their various musical influences, stringing together short and catchy tracks, many of which are potential hit singles. Take for example "Taste The Last Girl": an indie-rock 4/4 rhythm, a simple yet captivating guitar riff, and a dual vocal chorus that sticks immediately in your head.
And there are many others, the initial "Medicine" with its "velvet" rhythm, the frenetic stomp of "Hunt", the almost noise crescendo of "Choked", or the Morricone-like "Rama Lama".

Of course, at times the male voice sounds like Morrissey while the female counterpart approaches PJ Harvey, but the overall effect is not the expected one of a reheated broth from a retirement home, but more of a light soup with a good dose of parmesan on top.