TWELVE CLAY FEET: "More Naked Than Obscene"

Rating: RRR
Label: Kiln/PresciptionPR 2013
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

Twelve Clay Feet's second album, "More Naked Than Obscene" is already receiving comparisons to Kings Of Leon and Brian Jones Town Massacre. I hardly agree on everything. However, it's been quite the transformation since last we heard them bang the bells. They've clearly replaced most of their Grungy rock attitudes of the debut album, "Totem Bells", and being the ambitious outfit they are, Twelve Feet Clay have no trouble packing the new album full of melodic and modern arena guitar rock.

The gruff vocals of Ian Jeff is no doubt the most edgy point of the band nowadays as the arrangements of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden are simply no longer to be found within these ten tracks. As soon as they rip into opener, 'By The Station Light', the Cambridge based UK act make this music style their own though, proving that not only have they left Seattle long behind, but that the rush of arena rock can still be used to great effect. And as soon as you notice that they are now in effect the moody U.K. guitar band and as subtle as Ted Nugent and Fox News, you might as well give in to the comparison to England's answer to Kings Of Leon. Add the husky vocal approach of Nickelback and the healthy dose of U2 and Radiohead, and you're even closer to the core.

Strangely enough, 'By The Staion Light', had me thinking in the weird ways of, what if Blackie Lawless decided to join the lads from Kings Of Leon? Mind you, Jeffs has a great gruffy voice, not always comparable to old Blackie though. The album is mostly all about the modern arrangements of rock numbers such as "You Can't Stop" and the following, "Hailstones", probably the best friggin' example of todays indie rock, alternativety, it hits boringville city limits on some of the tracks towards the middle of the album. I'm not that impressed by its first single, "Wrecking Ball", for that matter. There are better ones on the record and I'd rather just hang out with the smoothies of "Cities On Fire" or "The Debutante". Or why not the quirky uptempo U.K. indie rock number of "Last Rat In Hemelin". Close to 4... but 3 strong R's - my final verdict.
http://www.twelveclayfeet.com/
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