Record Label: Exact Truth
Release Date: 12th March 2021
âGluelandâ is about the inevitable feeling of being thrown onto a big pile of your own rubbish and paddling around in it like a dusty walrusâ â Chris Bailey, Do Nothing, Vocalist
Youâd be savvy to bet your bottom dollar (or is that âZero Dollar Billâ?) on Do Nothingâs latest EP âGluelandâ being a direct continuation from their debut extended player, basing that on Chris Baileyâs playful yet elaborate summary above. Following on from 2020âs âZero Dollar Bill EPâ (gedditt?), the Nottingham troop have readied another 5 tracks made up of awkward post-punk meandering and lyrics that spill out with an abstract stream of consciousness. Commenting further on how the EP came together, the bandâs mouthpiece details an inception that sounded like all the puzzle pieces slotted together pretty easily from the off: âIt came from recording situations that we felt very comfortable in, and the tedious absence of live shows meant that we could stagger in some new directions without having to make sure that it all worked onstage. Donât worry, we made sure not to actually write about being in lockdownâŠbecause who wants to hear about that?â Bailey further embellishes on the ânew directionsâ with the following âmusically it takes a more decided, less rough around the edges approach than some of our previous material but lyrically itâs largely about being at ease with yourself, which is often tough to do.â
âGluelandâ, although not an entirely smooth as silk affair, isnât without some of the craggy pockets found on âZero Dollar Billâ. You wouldnât go as far as saying their latest effort was polished but thereâs some toning down when compared to its 2020 sibling. Thereâs also a calmness in places, where it really feels like Do Nothing have embraced the additional time allowed to work on new material. Kicking off with the EPâs eponymous moment, a prominent fuzz envelopes steadfast drums and a weaving razor-like guitar riff that plays 1-2âs with a lolloping bassline. Cutting the silhouette of a languid LCD Soundsystem but if James Murphy was a Nottingham lad and not from NYC. Choppy guitars and a minimal, glassy synth tone introduce âUber Allesâ, a song that eventually dips down to a shadowy sashay through airy drums and a dreamy sparseness. Hereâs where Baileyâs random wordplay presents some gold; âitâs just one big reach around/part of the serviceâ and âalways shining like a swordfishâ being the pick of the bunch. A staccato bounce and jagged guitars fuel the awkward gait of âRolexâ as it totters around its own jerkiness. A juxtaposition of queasy fretwork and rapid drums, intermingled with handclaps gives âKnivesâ some twitchy zest. A haziness wafts in and out, as Bailey ruminates âit all works out like a dream/what does assassination even mean?â Weâre assuming thatâs a rhetorical question?! Signing off âGluelandâ is the nocturnal moan of âGreat White Wayâ, a track that glistens in parts and thumps in others. Bailey plunges you into an environment that sounds like a bush tucker challenge âthere were worms and lizards crawling everywhereâ before a jammed outro guides you towards âGluelandâs city limits.
Catchy yet obscure, equally rough and smooth; âGluelandâ is hard to define but easy to adore. Thereâs a lure to the EP that means youâll be coming back for repeated listens to fathom Baileyâs peculiar lyrics or to get lost in its contorting sonic maze. Or to paraphrase the Do Nothing man to paddle through some rubbish like a dusty walrus.
Hey, thanks for reading this review of 'Glueland' - you're the best. Why not check out our 2020 introducing piece about Do Nothing while you're here?