Review of Suicide Pact—You First (1999)

by Dave Roberts for wiltweb (1999)

Things looked a bit ropy for a while in the Therapy? camp. The departure of Fyfe Ewing was a huge blow, both musically and personally, to the three piece, and, although they regrouped as a quartet shortly after, when they lost their record deal earlier this year through the shake up at Polygram, it must have severely tested their resolve.

So the new album sees them returning to basics. That said, they’ve evolved immensely since their early mini albums and before their MTV friendly and commercially successful stint on A&M. It’s a process which they’d started on last years Semi-Detached, but the choosing of the weakest material as singles didn’t help them to get the message across.

… Big Cave In sees Therapy? take back the free form jazz territory that the likes of Mogwai and Slint claim great credit for, but which Therapy? were so adept at in their early days.

So now, with a new label and free of any corporate interference (although bizarrely at the last minute they’ve ended up back in the revamped Polygram empire), they’ve made a visceral rock record with none of the radio friendly concessions which they made on Troublegum and Infernal Love.

Suicide Pact—You First dispenses with the bubblegum metal sound and instead soaks up some Led Zeppelin, MC5, Stooges and most notably Captain Beefheart. Hate Kill Destroy has a title which could have come from Babyteeth or Pleasure Death and the grinding metal rifferama, mixed with Cairns newly distorted vocals, will surely keep the Kerrang fans on board. Dublin band Jam Jar Jail now have a song named after them and the instrumental, Big Cave In, sees Therapy? take back the free form jazz territory that the likes of Mogwai and Slint claim great credit for, but which Therapy? were so adept at in their early days.

Six Mile Water is one of only two respites on the album, a touching confessional from Cairns as he trawls through his teenage years of drinking and drug taking whilst apologising (presumably to either original members McKeegan or Ewing) for one of the bizarre turns their band has taken. Ten Year Plan is an absolute glorious three chord trick, bringing to mind Whole Lotta Love, while Other People’s Misery is like Motorhead on speed. There have been a number of false alarms before, but Therapy? are really back to making a grinding mix of punk and metal, seething with attitude and a healthy two fingers to current musical trends.

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