On their debut album, local trio Terrible Truths deliver post-punk sounds in the style of classic acts like The Slits and Siouxsie and the Banshees, but their music will also appeal to lovers of local contemporary acts like Love of Diagrams and Gold Class. The spiky dual vocals of Stacey Wilson and Rani Rose are central to their sound, and the thrill of this interplay comes across well on the recorded versions of their tracks. Their vocals are quite similar, which gives the impression of one split personality having its own internal conflicts, but doing it out loud, at full volume and right in your face. Framing the heady voices are bouncy baselines, jagged surf-rock guitars and drums that sometimes hold it all together and other times veer off on their own erratic trip.
Terrible Truths is a mix of the familiar and the new, with the previously released tracks False Hope and Don Juan still standing strong as the band’s most memorable and powerful moments. This is just over 20 minutes worth of material, but the short running time feels about right – these fast and fleeting songs may average two minutes each, but they pack a lot in. Each of the tracks seem to spiral almost out of control, as if a surge of pent-up energy has suddenly been released. A lengthier collection might need more variation in style and tempo to keep the listener fully engaged, but for now, this is a sufficiently electrifying taster.
BY CHRIS GIRDLER
