Double Handsome Dragons Double Handsome Dragons EP

Instrumental bands are already at a disadvantage compared to standard musical acts before note one ever pours through the speaker.  That'd be thanks to the clear lack of lyrics, those handy dandy creations that help instill a more concrete emotional sentiment.  But if you're looking for a band who overcomes that handicap rather readily, look no further than Peterborough, UK's Double Handsome Dragons.  

Standard rock music, represented by sturdy, rhythmic drumming and powerful flourishes of guitar virtuosity, serve as the band's baseline and comfort zone.  From there, the group skillfully apply varying loads of dialogue from campy sci-fi trailers and impassioned political speeches, and, as the cherry on the post-rock sundae, globs and globs of electronica and computer junk noise.  A rather mundane and predictable formula ends up creating interesting and unique moments.   Whether it's the semi-nortec, blip-y epic that is Los Diablos Del Espacio, the near-8-minute schizo blast of metal licks, ambiance, and indignant rage of Are We Not The Future Of This Nation?, or the tongue-in-cheek prog/jazz rock double header of the deliciously-titled Ronald Ray-Gun, the band are masters at coupling their influences together to offer up tracks that are concise and cutting and still sweeping and with a sense of complete and total abandonment.   And with several tracks ending in bizarre, out-of-this world flourishes that spike between pop and alt hip-hop, there's only one fact you can be comfortable in: everything is a perfect mess you just can't peel yourself away from.  

A movie sample from the track Made by Devils asks the listener, "...The Earth will be devastated by an invasion of the cosmic monster. But what of the human element?  Can man withstand the incredible force of this uncontrollable holocaust from outer space?", as if to ponder who will win when the foursome's organic rock and technological wizardry do battle.  Even without oh-so-helpful word clues, the answer is clear when it comes to the Double Handsome Dragons: we do.