The Serbian band Tongue is an interesting proposition. Originally formed as a solo project for singer and multi-instrumentalist Vladimir Bizic it turned into a fully fledged band with Vojin Klickovic, drums and bass guitar, joining ranks. They are the two mainstays altering the recording line-up between a duo and a trio. From June 2012 until November 2013 Tongue released three EPs titled 'A Night You'll Never Remember Vol1-3' filled with diverse influences but what ties these three releases is the sound of 80's Twin City punk coursing through their songs. Hüsker Dü especially is a huge influence on them where Vladimir's voice reminds me of Bob Mould. Since I came across this band at the time of their third offering 'A Night You'll Never Remember Vol 3 - Daydreaming Ride' I quickly checked out the two other EPs and really liked what I heard, so I thought why not review all three att the same time. So follow me dear waveriders on a trip to Belgrade,Serbia to meet Tongue.
'A Night You'll Never Remember Vol 1 - Who Fired The Workers Of Happiness Factory?'Starting of this three-track EP with the title song, the first half of it is fast and furious akin to Hüsker Dü's mayhemic anthems. Vladimir sounds a lot like Bob Mould which enhances that band's input on the music. After a bridge though Tongue throws down the gauntlet and ends in neck-breaking speed with a cool early Motörhead guitar floating over the track. Awesome stuff, indeed!
'Spark Of Light' begins like a Mastodon song played in 80's punk style. It quickly slows down to mid-tempo alt rock with Vladimir again sounding like Bob Mould but with his own little twist and it works wonders. A beautiful but desperate guitar solo pleads to me for solace as the song draws to an end.
Picking up where the previous song ended 'Leaving All Behind' kicks into Twin City-style again but this time Vladimir sounds like himself which makes the song even better. Don't get me wrong, I really like the Hüsker Dü inspirations but when they go all out being themselves that's when Tongue really stand out.
'A Night You'll Never Remember Vol 2 - All Roads Lead To Me'Oh yeah, opening track 'How You Made Me Feel' is a great upbeat song musically but where the lyrics tells the tale of lost love. Heavily influenced by Bob Mould's Sugar Tongue are rocking furiously and I love it.
Tragic, sad but yet so beautiful 'Monster Walks The Summer Lake' grips my emotions with a vise. The way I interpret it the song is about the loss of a close friend or relative and how you as a survivor deals with his or her passing. A lone guitar plays on top of a keyboard and electronic sounds which brings out the hurt explicitly.
'All This Warmth' is definitely punkish in every way and the structure is again based on Hüsker Dü but Tongue has more than ever steered into their own direction and Vladimir is clearly sounding like himself. As a consequence the band has matured more and has been become self-reliant and so good.
'A Night You'll Never Remember Vol 3 - Daydreaming Ride'A mix of evil rock, diesel and dust and the mighty The Hellacopters greets me when 'Devil's Echo(It's Alright) ambushes me. It's got enough hooks to catch the Loch Ness monster and Tongue is ripping me to shreds. The band is clearly redefining their musical direction and that is a wise move. I shouldn't be surprised because there's a natural progression between each of their releases. This couldn't be more obvious in 'Sketching And Drawing' where the ghost of Bob Mould still lingers but it now sounds like Tongue 100%.
Yes! The title track, 'Daydreaming Ride' is so mellow and trippy and full of riffs that I find myself hypnotized, drifting of to a better place. The guitar solo in the middle sends me spinning in a vortex as I try to absorb what Tongue is throwing at me. Fantastic stuff guys!
Tongue has recorded some really good and cool music and it's rewarding to listen to these three releases back to back. You get to hear how the band elvoves and come into their own. Each EP stands out on it's own, don't get me wrong on that, but to see how Tongue has so easily moved from point A to point B to point C is refreshing and I can't wait to hear more from them. The sooner the better if you ask me...so go to the band's bandcamp page and download these EPs. You will not regret it!
- Swedebeast
