Health - Health

NOISE

With the back catalogues of bands like Liars, Boredoms and Lightning Bolt part of the alt.rock curriculum these days, it’s not wholly surprising that they should spawn self-conscious imitators.

Los Angeles-based quartet Health are the newest group of rabble rousers to set knees knocking and lips twitching in the name of aural head trauma. There is a defiantly staccato approach, relying on drums for dynamics and using guitars, keys, voices and their own hybrid instrument a zoothorn (don’t ask) to provide some colour.

The problem, however, is that on record their petulant, effusive flailing lacks the impact and black humour of their influences, leaving only the petulant bombast to wrestle with.