Eagulls
Eagulls

Introductions are important. Leeds-based punksters Eagulls introduced themselves to the world with a scathing open letter that, without naming any names, called out every hipster band and fan on the market. Within said letter, there are ignorant, immature, and broad-sweeping statements, and most of it comes across as downright stupid.

Shitty things don’t deserve attention, and this letter has already gotten too much of it. But while listening to Eagulls’ self-titled debut, I can’t help but come back to the letter (again and again and again and again), mostly because the beach-y genre of music Eagulls are so opposed to is so startlingly similar to the music they make themselves.

The ten tracks on Eagulls couldn’t fit the “simple, repetitive, and unoriginal” mold any better if they tried. Each track begins and ends in the same spot, starting with feedback, hurdling into boring, shout-y verses and chorurses, and cutting out after three or four minutes is up. And while there are certainly songs that rock (“Tough Luck,” “Nerve Endings,” “Possessed”), there are plenty of moments that don’t (see: the rest of the record).

Eagulls sound is lean, industrial rock — and the initial impact of their tunes hits pretty hard. But for a “punk” record, Eagulls is remarkably tame. Not unlike those sun-buzzed bands they’re so keen to crap on, Eagulls appear wildly concerned with pushing their image, rather than letting their tunes create one for them.