The Peth - The Golden Mile
Fear and Loathing in Cardiff
The Golden Mile - the debut from the peth, featuring Dafydd Ieuean of the Super Furry Animals and actor Rhys Ifans (himself a former Furry) on vocals - is a psyche-rock nightmare. Inspired by an area of cardiff with the same name, it splices the muse of 60s and 70s rock - buzzing riffs, soaring choruses and piano balladry - with more electronics than a Kraftwerk concert. Stellar, huge, and at times, a little scary, this is an acid trip through familiar territory and beyond. Opener Half a Brain sets the mood with its sci-fi rumblings before roaring into a brilliant chorus, sitting midway between the canons of Elvis Costello and Pulp. Elsewhere, songs like Turbo Tank and Let's Go Fucking Mental are no frills good-time rock 'n' roll: big dirty singalongs, spaced out and brimming with cool. If Fear and Loathing in Cardiff was ever to be made, this would surely be the soundtrack. [Ryan Drever[