I like most of the people I like, have been on the That Fucking Tanks case for quite a while, it was with welcome anticipation that we waited for a new release from them.

The Awesome Magnet, double a-side features what I don’t reckon anyone was anticipating… and that’s a vocal track. Featuring the shirt yanking style of Giles Bailey (previously of Danananaykroyd) as soon as the 1st track begins, I doubt any apart from those of us who heard the rumours and with no evidence yet forthcoming, could or even would have wanted to predict this.

Bailey is fucking ace on this if I’m right honest, his abrasive style took me a second to adjust to as I didn’t really know what to expect to be fair. I think hearing this live, if were ever to be that lucky would be where this treat really shines. Tank them selves offer up what I would consider fairly standard fare, I’m neither surprised nor excited by the production as such, as I will criticise of most bands that are this far into their careers, what’s new really. You can’t argue with the fact that Baileys addition really knocks Tank into another league and it scares the shit right out of me, but for a two piece who have resonated so profoundly with what they can do as a two piece, not only on tape but to an audience I think The Awesome Magnet without the vocals would be pretty much just par for the course. So the question is has Bailey rescued a fairly standard Track from being mundane? I think it’s more than possible.

This is a double a-side and that being the case, the fairly un-mentioned Fascist Because Beautiful needs due consideration. For my money this is the Tank track off the single, The Awesome Magnet feels too much like a novelty some times. Fascist Because Beautiful really demonstrates Tank moving their sound to somewhere else whilst retaining their previous ethos, a real evolution, still abrasive enough to be distinctly Tank but combining more proggy elements. I’m glad that Andy’s found a place in which to slot some nice Kalimba parts, especially since I’ve ended up with a couple in my own percussion box and have found no discernible use for this most quarrelsome of instruments. Fascist Because Beautiful really breathes I think, the hall marks are all their but this really changes and moves, I think by simply combining the elements of rock and blissed out prog, you get echoes of psychedelia, mid-90’s prog/jazz bands form Canada and of course typical Tank.

In spite of what I reckon, this for most is a brilliant record, I wouldn’t suggest The Awesome Magnet as a starting point, like I say not entirely indicative of what Tank are as a band, but brilliant none the less.

A final note, seriously you really must see these live, I cannot stress that enough, Andy Abbott & James Islip who make up That Fucking Tank, basically just play with two instruments mostly, James knocks the shit out of this tiny drum kit and sounds massive and Andy plays a guitar and sounds like the worlds ending. Ace.

Richard James Steele

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