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The Constantines

Nighttime (2003)
Sub Pop Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Adam
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on July 7th 2003

Bands I truly feel I grow with are ones I'm usually impartial to on the first listen. I've just accepted this knee jerk reaction as the way my listening habits work. It's likely because I fall in love with a record to such a degree that any new material from the band seems strange and foreign at first. That's what happened with my first listen of the new Constantines single Nighttime. For the past year I've lived and breathed this band. Their juxtaposition of angular, Fugazi inspired punk and soulful folk influences appeal to me like few new groups have. To me, the Cons' debut album represented how a band can be mindful of rock's rich history yet still innovate and provide new ideas.

So like all records I'm slow to warm to yet end up cherishing, "Nighttime" by far didn't immediately grab me. The single from the band's "Shine A Light" is titled "Nighttime Anytime It's Alright." The industrial-clamour of the guitars and bass along with Bryan Webb's raw throated vocals make is an odd choice for a single. This is far from marketable and instantly vanquishes any fears that the Cons' deal with the prolific Sub Pop would have pressured the band to write something for the public palate.

It's their loss though, because these four songs keeps revealing layers with each spin. "Tank Commander" is another solid track from the new full length. Again Webb's urgent howl plays perfectly off the band's quiet-to-dense dynamics. This is followed by a Husker Du-like cover of the Talking Head's "Thank you for sending me an angel." The disc ends with "Hotline Operator," which is more of an organ driven Radiohead-like jam then a traditionally structured song.

While there's no track here as instantly gratifying as "Blind Luck" from the band's fantastic Modern Sinner Nervous Man EP, the Constantines continue to build their catalogue with powerful, layered and intelligent punk.

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Anonymous (July 20, 2003)

No score for the album or review. Just a note to use the frickin email system or an IM system, leave the Comment on the Review system for exactly that.

Your welcome.

Shindo (July 13, 2003)

I honestly didn't check. They had thre remaster of the first Specials album so that was all I was concerend with :)

hungryjoe (July 13, 2003)

Did you notice if they had this there? The guy told me he'd phone back on Friday, but I've been out of town for the weekend, and the power went out with a dead battery in my machine.

Shindo (July 12, 2003)

I checked out Orange Monkey on Friday. Very cool store. I picked up a few things and saw others that I would have gotten provided I had the cash. I'll be back there for sure.

Anonymous (July 12, 2003)

Can't wait to hear this one! The new album should be classic as well. As for the Kitchener-Waterloo record stores, go with the ORANGE MONKEY. These guys follow more obscure and lesser known bands. Encore Records was alright when I was 16, but it caters to the "mainstream underground" as like to call it. You know the Fat, Epitaph, Sympathy, indie/emo crowd rather than straight up music fans like myself.

Put it this way, I ordered TRAGEDY "vengeance" from Orange Monkey and they got it in about 3 weeks. I tried ordering that one from Encore and they were like, "who? what band?" Encore is a good store, but Orange Monkey has much more for a guy like me.

shindo (July 8, 2003)

Same thing happened to me last summer. I'm working a co-op right now. I commute into Waterloo from Guelph daily.

hungryjoe (July 8, 2003)

it's at Princess & King, above the Jane Bond, across from the bowling alley. I've also been told Encore (Queen St, Kitchener) records is good, but have yet to make it down there.

Thanks to co-op, i'm at school here for the summer. Work, school, work, school....it never ends. School in the summer isn't so bad though....I can sit on my lawn in the afternoon and drink. speaking of which...

shindo (July 8, 2003)

Ahh I'll have to check it out, I'm working in Waterloo this summer...

hungryjoe (July 8, 2003)

Orange Monkey is the local indie record store in Waterloo. I frequent it often. They've got a decent used section, and a lot of vinyl.

shindo (July 8, 2003)

The US release date for Shine is in August, but I'm not sure if Three Gut's one comes out sooner. I've got the press stuff at home so I can check then.

It's good though. Really good.

Where's Orange Monkey Joe?

adam

hungryjoe (July 8, 2003)

somehow i knew i'd see this here today. like clockwork you are, adam.

I checked with the Orange Monkey, and (begrudgingly) HMV, but neither had this today. Hopefully Orange Monkey will get it by Friday like they told me...

When does Shine A Light come out anyway? Three Gut says July 22, Sub Pop says Aug 18.