By Mike Stuart
07/04/2008
Since the release of their masterpiece Internal Wrangler, Clinic have been accused of treading water, albeit in a pool of water inhabited only by surgical-mask wearing surf punks. This is a bit unfair really as Clinic's sound - whether the teeth-clenched vocals or the garage rock doo wop - is theirs and theirs alone and innovation by a band this downright unusual is difficult to notice. That being said, since Walking With Thee, none of their records have quite reached the musical heights exhibited in their earlier work and Do It! doesn't really change that.
But this is Clinic, and they will always be judged to a high standard because fans know what they're capable of. Do it! is still a solid album and well worth the price of admission, just try and forget that this band that did 'Distortions'. The opener 'Memories' starts off with a harpsicord chime before breaking into a classic Clinic stomper with driving guitars and marching drums. Uptempo single 'The Witch' has frontman Ade's anxious delivery complimented by a one-note bassline and maracas and is followed perfectly by the breezy lounge track 'Free Not Free'. Of course it wouldn't be a Clinic album without a raw paranoid punk song which comes in the form of 'Shopping Bag'.
Do It! ends with space waltz 'Coda' which features a spoken word declaration that the album is dedicated to the 600th anniversary of the Bristol Charter. Whether the Bristol charter actually exists or not is anyone's guess (a Google search comes up short) and yet the fact that it might be a fabrication all adds to the wonderful mystery that is Clinic.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Do It! is released in the UK on 7th April, 2008
David Jensen Photography:
https://www.davidjensen.co.uk/
