Miacca

With Love and Anger – self-released, 2010

8^th March 2011

Jamie

There’s something endearing about the way that Miacca approached Bananatown asking us to cover the release of their new EP.  “I understand that you usually write about more established bands”, they said.  Bless. “..any chance you could do a review of our EP?”.

It only took a little bit of research, though, to find out what those “more established bands” have been saying about Miacca.  Their myspace, for example, features praise from the likes of Dirty Revolution, the King Blues, and the Sonic Boom Six.  If only all this were happening on twitter, they could almost be some sort of alternative Justin Bieber, if that’s not too much of an oxymoron*.  Either way, it’s sufficient praise to belie the modesty in their original approach.

With Love and Anger is a short EP containing four tracks of plaintive acoustic ska that’s based around guitars and the two female vocals.  It’s simple without ever coming across as standard, and manages to maintain its refreshing sense of honesty throughout.

Immediate as the songs are on occasion, there’s a sense of restless anger that never really goes away: whatever the songs are about, there’s an edge to them that comes from the sense of injustice that bubbles away just under the surface through the disc. 

The songs are polished, and, for the most part, short and fairly sweet, so the edge to this record, and it does have genuine bite, comes mainly from the subject matter, which ranges from defiant anger with the political establishment to frustration with a girl who is governed by her boyfriend.

Opener Liberties (are a Luxury You Can’t Have) is particularly sinister.  The melodica, in particular, is a treat, as are the vocal harmonies in the chorus.  The song starts steadily and becomes bigger and more sinister as it goes on. By the end it’s picked up a bassline that’s full on dirty.  Anger is similarly dark, and, if anything, angstier than Liberties.

I’ve Got a Boyfriend Now, up next, is a little more up-tempo, and sugary-sweet pop in its execution.  That anger’s never gone away, though, remember.  Those harmonies from Liberties come to the fore and the tune’s a pretty, light, floaty little one.  It’s actually lovely and angry at the same time.  Like all of the songs here, it’s beautifully direct, telling stories about real life just how it is.  The lyrics are brilliantly succinct, and charming not just because of the way that they sum things up so neatly and quickly, but also fit perfectly together to form great little songs.

The last song, Would You Like Me to Be the Cat?  is a hilariously bonkers take on George Galloway’s political suicide on Big Brother.  Those deliciously sincere lyrics pop out quickly to embarrass him: “it’s all about publicity, or maybe they’re in to bestiality” is probably the best example.  Then there’s the harmonies.  Then there’s a catchy little bassline.  And the chorus.  And then it’s done: a short, sharp slice of attitude that’s fun but never loses its bite.  The songs are brilliantly put together, and the disc as a whole fully lives up to its name.

*The Justin Bieber analogy is here because lots of celebrities talk about Justin on twitter, and that made him famous.  In the same way, there’s a stack of quotes about Miacca on myspace from various luminaries of the UK underground.  Lily Allen got big on myspace, but isn’t as funny as Justin Bieber.  I think the name” Bieber” is funny on its own.  Also, other celebrities were never that keen on Lils in the beginning.  Cheryl Cole was really rude about her.  Grr.

Track listing:

Liberties (Are a Luxury You Can’t Have)

Anger

I’ve got a Boyfriend Now

Would You Like Me to Be the Cat?