If you’ve ever seen Tony Castles live, then you know they are capable of being much louder, noisier, and more chaotic than they let on in their new EP, No Service. Jake Aron was brought aboard to record and produce the still impressionable trio out of (wait for it…. wait for it…) Brooklyn, and his fingerprints are all over this album. Mr. Aron’s producing credits include Yeasayer, Jamie Lidell, and Chairlift, and No Service particularly channels some of the ‘world indie’ vibe of Odd Blood (QRO review).
Ornate percussion, Caribbean melodies, compositional curlicues that seem at pains to communicate the seductive musicianship of Tony Castles; it’s no mistake that the trio was tabbed for tour dates with Fool’s Gold. These guys can play. For a three-piece the songs are impressively deep and full. "Adequate Sheen" is a shimmering pop odyssey reminiscent of the best of Police; ska and reggae shade the namesake track "No Service"; and "Black Girls in Dresses" takes you back to the nasal hippie jams of The Samples (does anyone remember that band?). Wavves (QRO album review) could spit out three albums and not scratch the surface of what Tony Castles does in five songs on the EP. And yet, for all their chops, you can’t help but sense their inner Nathan Williams trying to fight his way into the foreground. The rough-n-tumble choruses on "Dream Job" (and the spacey breakdowns) hint at a grungier version of the band. Tony Castles wears the scream-n-shout lyric well, thank you very much.
With the 20th anniversary of "Nevermind" on the horizon, it would be a lovely time for indie music to re-inject some much needed, post-chillwave agro into their applesauce. But it’s futile to pine away about the album you might have had. As it stands, Tony Castles’ No Service is an impressive debut showcasing boatloads of talent, and hinting at much, much more. With some time to mature and find their own voice, the sophomore release (or full album?) could be something to get very excited about.
MP3 Stream: "Dream Job"
