With Windmills Turning Wrong Directions (With Windmills Turning Wrong Directions - No Comply)

Member Name: rleigh

Product:	With Windmills Turning Wrong Directions - No Comply
Date:	09/11/07 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Innovative, thought provoking, and exciting.

Disadvantages: The band are no longer together so this is the newest material we'll ever hear from them.

No Comply were a metal influenced punk rock sextet from Plymouth that functioned as a band between the years of 1998 and 2006. Named after a popular skateboarding trick, during their eight year reign in the UK gigging circuit the band self released a rough demo in 2001, an EP through Deck Cheese Records in 2002, and then this very album again through Deck Cheese in 2004. In addition to this, the band also released a DVD in 2005 which comprised of behind the scenes footage from one of their many tours, interviews with the six band members, and live performances of some of their most memorable tracks. The sound of No Comply was driven by their front woman Kelly Kemp, a lady that provided a full on fiery attack of frantic and furious vocals on each and every single one of the bands tracks. It was in the January of 2006 that the band announced that they would be calling it a day; a sad year in which Adequate Seven also called it quits.

This is the first and only ever album released by the now defunct Plymouth based band and followed on from their début EP on Deck Cheese Records ‘Your Life Is Your Direction.’ This album was again released on Deck Cheese, however is very different to the EP in terms of style and sound. The vocals are still distinctly Kelly but seem to have improved an awful lot since the EP, with her lyrics being spat out with a whole new level of confidence. When this album was recorded she was obviously then a lot more experienced in what she was doing than when she recorded the vocals for the EP and as a result she thus put in the vocal performance of a lifetime for 'With Windmills Turning Wrong Directions '.

There are twelve tracks on this album and right from the drum roll off set you know that you are in for something truly special. Their sound had definitely evolved and long gone were the days of the Skacore image – the horn section was still present, but instead of putting in catchy little solos, with this release flow with the rest of the instruments and fit in to the line up perfectly. The guitars have a cutting metallic edge to them that really suited the newly found sound of the band – this can especially be heard on the track ‘Close to hell and burning’, in which guitarist Jon puts in some amazing little solos. The backing vocals of Jon are also incredible – they really work well alongside Kelly’s strong lead vocals and the contrast in sound is absolutely killer. The Ska style riffing that characterised the early sound of No Comply was good, but it would definitely not have fitted in at all well on this album. There are some absolutely cracking bass lines on this CD – it is clear that the bassist really put his all in and as a result came up trumps. Stunning drumbeats are also on display as their frantic drummer crashes his way through the album. The drumming has always been of a pretty high standard from No Comply – but with this album they surpassed themselves with their slick portrayal.

I had never heard a single one of these tracks before I put the CD into the player but I took an instant liking to them all and found the change of sound from the EP to the album to be an extremely refreshing one. One of my favourite tracks on this album has to be ‘Lifetime of Destruction’ – it really does have it all. The metallic guitar playing can be heard extremely clearly, the drumming is spot on, the bass lines are nearing on perfect, the horns are cracking, and Kelly’s vocals are as amazing as ever. The quality seems to extend in to next track ‘A Bloody Welcome’ also, which is another of my favourites. It has so much bite about it and could quite easily have been taken out of the context of the album and chosen for release as a single. I think that this one would have had an amazing reception as a single as the power and profession is without a doubt there, and there is definitely a large degree of catchiness to it; flowing perfectly and just generally looming large as one of the stand out tracks of the album.

A special mention needs to go out to the albums closing track ‘A Waking Dream’ as it really is the one track that surpasses all others – it's a lengthy little number, but you can't help but love it; no matter how much you play it, it fails to tire and the brilliance of it just seems to become greater and greater. There is extremely effective use of fills on this one with a blinding guitar fill, a super dual bass and drum one, chilled out horn fills, and plenty more to keep you entertained and to keep that smile on your face. Near the end it all winds down nicely with a mellow instrumental carrying on, and you can just tell that at any point you’re about to be hit with one last blast of power and alas this does indeed emerge to finish off the album. It rounds the album off perfectly and leaves you completely satisfied with what you have just encountered; that being a top quality No Comply début album.

Although No Comply have now been gone for nearly two years and the album released three years ago; 'With Windmills Turning Wrong Directions' is still an album that I go back and listen to an awful lot. If you've never heard the band before then as far as I'm concerned it would be well worth your while seeking out this album and giving it a good listen. At a price of £8.98 on Amazon.co.uk at current, this is an album which represents fantastic value for money and should be regarded as a definite must have if you're a fan of female vocals.

Label: Deck Cheese
Release Date: 28th June 2004

Originally posted by me on my website Alt-UK.com
Source: http://www.alt-uk.com/modules.php?name=Reviews

Summary: A fantastic album from No Comply that will always remain as one of my favourites.