Scanners - Violence is Golden

Scanners
Violence Is Golden

This is a short review of the band called Scanners, and not the Cronenberg movie. If you’ve somehow managed to stumble upon this page while looking for the movie, head on over to IMDB. Or read about the band’s “Violence is Golden” for a bit, and then off you go.

Anyhow, Scanners deeply channels (and there’s a pretentious review word if ever there was one) Chryssie Hynde and her Pretenders buds with slamming and snarling guitar riffs and a bit of 80s new wave synth party thrown in. Vocalist/bassist Sarah Daly is mostly responsible for the Pretender references with her ringing set of wrought iron pipes.

The music sometimes reminds me of 90s Brit-bands like Elastica, though there’s also modern touch to the music. “Joy” and “Lowlife” start off the album in spectacular fashion, with glossy shimmering soundscapes. Some people are going to gothic-ize their reviews of this album but I’d say its more punky than overall gloomy. Sometimes I can’t figure out what they’re aiming at, for instance in “Changing Times” which has a guitar riff that sounds like a Snow Patrol or Travis track embedded in it. The band is also capable of so-called “birdwalks” away from straight up punkwave.

“Evil Twin” starts off almost folky semi-sweet, like a Jeff Hanson tune but quickly gets good and creepy, while the keyboard beeps of “Look What You Started” puzzle and ponder their way through a reversed 16th century classical melody.

The band is releasing stuff on Dim Mak. Have a listen…

Available Tracks:

Lowlife

Band Website:

Scanners Music

by Palebear