Guns are for Kids mean only harm. In a time when the term “post-punk” refers to any number of hipster joke bands, this group of Australian deconstructionists have created an unromantic, anti-artifice racket that is post-punk while sounding like few of their forebears.
Their self-released debut EP Too Much Red, Not Enough Red suggests that they’ve studied the right bands, but despite a few hallmarks of English post-punk, there isn’t an obvious comparison.
On the opening title track, Guns are for Kids lay out their abstractionist brilliance. At first, piercing guitar and disjointed drum patterns suggest that this band will sit idly alongside the current wave of post-punk revivalists. But these Aussies are not of the Franz Ferdinand/Interpol sort, and the song degenerates into near anarchic noise and free-jazz horns, nearly collapsing under the weight of the chaos.
But like all the best, GAFK’s material never falls apart. It is a musical language borrowed from the post-punk greats (Wire, Gang Of Four, The Pop Group, Mission Of Burma, and early Sonic Youth), but spoken in a vernacular all their own, owing more to Dadaist art than Joy Division.
The first three tracks provide an all-out aural assault. These are minimalist songs delivered with gut-busting force — sparse despite epic changes and intricately woven structures.
The latter half of the record provides a more nuanced approach. “A.K.A. No” features ringing guitar leads and seductive bass to chilling effect. “Exactly Different” is an absurdist rant, slinking along in art-jangle mode. It’s far from easy listening, but the real trick up the sleeves of GAFK is that their music is perfectly accessible — slightly difficult but ultimately delightful to the senses.
The record is a great balancing act, teetering between anarchy and sleekly innovative songcraft. Too much of a move in either direction could ruin them. Too Much Red, Not Enough Red is one of the most striking records of 2007.
– Mike McGovern
Guns Are For Kids: www.gunsareforkids.com
Waterfront Records: www.waterfrontrecords.com