The Soviets – I Gotta Go

Words: Rob Sampson

Considering they’re signed to Diffusion Records, it’s quite shocking that the production sounds more like a demo that a local band may cobble together the pennies to hand out to their friends at college. I’m unsure if that’s meant to be part of the charm or if they’re just blissfully unaware of how aurally bad this song is. The spine of the song is very much taken lock stock from 60’s rhythm and blues, with the riff being like something a Yardbirds tribute act would come up with in their first practice, whilst the vocals are taken from 70’s punk and the rest of it from an amalgamation of horrific pretty boy indie bands that don the walls of misguided teenage girls who so desperately want to be “scene”. The single just seems to be a mess of influences, genres and ideas, dragging you from one point of musical interest to another like a pissed up Paul Gambaccini. The Soviets may well be a band that you cherish wholeheartedly within your own local community, but when it comes to national acclaim, you’d really need to hear a bit more from them before giving them any credit, as judged on this single, the only place they’re going is nowhere.

Released: 17.11.08