The I.D (yes,
not just 'under 2,000 listeners', try 'fewer than 50 listeners') are the
combination of four European lads from Ireland, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
One would assume their current location is London, as many of their
upcoming gigs and past gigs have taken place surrounding the capital city, arguably
the best place to be if you’re in an aspiring band. The I.D have a Glaswegian
twang, a C86 styled jangle pop focus and all the post-punk aesthetics needed to
be compared to the likes of Interpol, The Twilight
Sad and The
Feelies. So what makes The I.D stand out? What can they possibly deliver in
the field that has slowly been dying and uncourageously sold itself short in
the recent years with The Strokes and Interpol (among others) failing to hit
the mark?
Post-punk has been shut out, and thrown out by electronics. Artists like The
Twilight Sad and Editors have taken to synthesizers so they can continue their
careers as musicians. Others in the field like the aforementioned Interpol
and The Strokes, have found themselves in a loop-hole of
averageness with nostalgia keeping them from the awaited 'hiatus'. The I.D will
not fade away and become 'one of those post-punk revival bands' because they
have structure and honest musical tendencies to sway from the norm and enter a
realm of indie pop. Like Arctic Monkeys and more recently The
Heartbreaks, The I.D surface new wave among the distortion. Indie pop, surf
rock and new wave can all be summarized quite simply within a few artists, but
it's when the genres mix with the heavier and more textured alternative rock /
post-punk, that the outcome becomes spectacular.
'Age Anti Age'
is everything you would expect from a bunch of lads 'that formed a musical
union through their love of the late 70’s'. The guitar work is aggressive and
the delay adds to the atmosphere which sounds very dark, unique and The Fall -
Hex Enduction Hour-esque. The I.D admirably leads the listener into a false
musical pretence, where the facade of darkness becomes a joyous indie pop vocal
hook. Striking lyrics like "I want to make up for the sobriety of my
youth" / "And who cares if it’s wrong or right, because
you’re getting older", set the mood and deliver with ease the
sentimental value of the lyrics. It’s catchy, and above all it works - most noticeably
the recurring dark electric guitar work on the left side as the youthful verse
shapes up and leads into the compact chorus of melody which includes a vocal
hook which sticks. Fantastic.
~Eddie