Album: The Start EP
Source: Venus Zine
By: MacKenzie Wilson
After delivering a new wave blast on their 2001 debut Shakedown!, theSTART return to form for a self-titled EP. The Los Angeles four-piece, who lost founding drummer Scott Ellis and their contract with Geffen prior to issuing this mini-album, create a punk-dance hybrid that's undeniably infectious.
The six songs featured on this release showcase the alluring beauty of frontwoman Aimee Echo. She is a vocal vixen, an uncanny yet complex match for the likes of Lene Lovich and Debbie Harry, particularly on the campy rock strut of "Big Shot," but equally confrontational on "Hi Flyer."
"Los Angeles" pays homage to theSTART's roots as jagged guitars ricochet off Cure-like synth beats for a tantalizing rock twist, while "Death via Satellite" resonates with familiar heavy metal grooves. While pop candy rules radio, indie kids who savor a bite of the past will devour the salted bliss of theSTART. Stylish, sophisticated and ballsy, theSTART is on to something good.
