Released:
Rating:
Milk Teeth are one of the brightest hopes in British alt-rock.
Label: Roadrunner Records
Released: 28th July 2017
Rating: ★★★★
After seeing in 2016 by unleashing their astonishing debut album ‘Vile Child’, the last 18 months have seen Milk Teeth overcome all their teething problems and emerge as one of the brightest hopes in British alt-rock. If ‘Vile Child’ was a small step on the Gloucestershire four-piece’s mission to become the noisiest pop band on the planet, then ‘Be Nice’ is a giant leap.
Opening this concise burst of four tracks with ‘Owning Your Okayness’, the band stake a worthy claim for anthem of the summer; it’s delightfully simple, absurdly catchy and the chorus kicks an inordinate amount of arse. Such a big hitter leaves ‘Prism’, despite its cucumber-cool Garbage-meets-Wolf Alice vibes, sounding like a less confident wading into commercial waters, but that is where the mediocrity comes to an abrupt end.
‘Fight Skirt’ stands toe-to-toe with the opening number in the battle to be the best track Milk Teeth have ever written. A savage and sassy punk rager, this is the long-awaited moment of glory for guitarist/vocalist Billy Hutton; although all four members are in their element on this flying visit back to their snotty small-town roots, Hutton does more than just chip in on his first recorded effort with Milk Teeth since joining the band last year, and delivers a fierce bark on the chorus.
Now almost entirely taking the reins vocally, bassist Becky Blomfield is fast becoming one of the biggest role models of her generation. She flaunts her honey-smooth voice throughout ‘Be Nice’, but when ‘Hibernate’ changes the pace with a contemplative and devastating climax, Blomfield is truly sensational in baring her fragility.
If you’re one of the few who ‘Vile Child’ passed by, this is your golden opportunity to make nice with Britain’s next superstars. Danny Randon
