How many times this year have we heard the term “UK buzz band” being tossed around? We have experienced a British invasion in 2005, which has had mixed results. A few of these media darlings have made a definite impact, such as Maximo Park. Several others (which will remain nameless) have fallen flat. After reading all the hype surrounding Nine Black Alps, it is understandable that I was just a bit skeptical. Within the first few moments of their self-titled debut EP, this Mancunian quartet took my skepticism and chunked it out the door. Named after a line from a Sylvia Plath poem, these four rock & rollers have looked to America rather than their own homeland for musical inspiration. NBA owes much more to Sonic Youth than The Smiths, although they wouldn’t have gone wrong in either direction. From the opening seconds of “Cosmopolitan”, the blazing guitars and sick hooks immediately grab you by the crotch and demand your attention. “Over The Ocean” rockets into some Burning Brides guitar work until sliding into a Beatlesesque pop chorus. Catchy rock & roll of this quality shows that Nine Black Alps have some serious talent. “Shot Down” does show a hint of British rock, with frontman Sam Forrest harnessing the sound of a younger, kick ass version of Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones. These guys aren’t all just loud guitars and frantic drumming. On the EP’s finale, “Attraction”, all the noise is stripped away, leaving only acoustic guitars and Forrest’s soothing vocals, held together with a wandering lead guitar slightly resistant of Jonny Greenwood’s performance on Radiohead’s classic “Street Spirit”. Nine Black Alps still have a ton of work ahead. Their debut full-length was just released in the UK, which has been considered one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year. Can they continue to live up to the hype? For rock & roll’s sake, lets hope so. Their EP shows volumes of promise, and watching this young band grow should also give way to some brilliant music along the way.

Nine Black Alps
Tiny Evil

1. Nine Black Alps Album Details
2. Nine Black Alps Crossing The Big Pond
3. Live – Nine Black Alps, Hard-Fi And The Cribs In NYC
4. Video – Nine Black Alps In The Studio
5. The Cribs Cross The Big Pond For US Tour