Take The Mask Away - Music

Laughing House Are From Coventry And Formed Sometime In '84 By The Two Brothers Freddie Vocals/guitar And Rob Bass And Shortly Gained A Really Great Drummer Steve. And For 5 Years Played A Slew Of Gigs Around The Midlands Recorded An Ep And A 9 Track Cassette Put Out By A Local Label Sonar In '87. They Ended Up Grabbing The Attention Of A Few Major Labels But Unfortunately Nothing Came Out Of It And Freddie Left In '89 Shortly After Laughing House Decided To Call It Quits. This Impressive Trio Oozed Mountains Of Competence In A Tight And Aggressive Twelve-Song Set Playing Music That Incorporates Trademarks Of The Clash Occasional Touches Of Killing Joke And The Vaguest Bow Towards U2 In Some Of The Guitar Lines. Many Of The Songs Are Accusing And Political Such As "Taken For Fools" In Which A Statement Is Made About Aborigines Being Kicked In The Teeth By 'their' Government. Musically Laughing House Are Professional Playing Well-Structured Songs Which When Lacking In Melody Are Adequately Compensated For With Rhythmic Stops And Kick-Starts And Raw Punch. In My Opinion Their Only Downfall Is A Tendency To Over-Indulge In The Thuggish 'oh-Oh-Oh' Backing Vocals. If These Were Reduced In Favour Of More Lyric Harmonies Those Used Worked Well The Finishing Touch Would Be Put To Otherwise Perfect Material. read less