Staff Reviews

Only Real - Jerk at the End of the Line

Review by Jack Doherty

A formulaic, traditional record.»

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The much-anticipated debut LP from Only Real, 'The Jerk At the End of the Line', on Virgin EMI. Recorded over a year and across two continents (in Atlanta with Ben Allen, and Streatham with Dan Carey), 'Jerk' finally unveils the gorgeously off-kilter, sun-kissed universe of 22-year old South Londoner Niall Galvin in all its playfully vivid and idiosyncratic glory. Occupying a spaced out, psychedelic dimension of light and dark, 'Jerk' is the work of a singular talent with an unlimited and absurd vocabulary. For anyone fortunate enough to be acquainted with Only Real's oeuvre to date - which includes the acclaimed 'Days in the City' EP on Luv Luv Luv and singles such as 'Pass the Pain' - Galvin's recognizable thumbprints are all over the album like smeared grease marks on the side of a pint glass. Liquid guitar lines that wriggle around each other like oiled up eels, lolloping rhymes that crash into head swimming choruses, and lyrics that ricochet from the observational, confessional, surreal and laugh-lout loud funny. Breezily infectious tracks such as 'Backseat Kissers' and 'Daisychained' draw on Galvin's love of both the left field rhymes of The Pharcyde and MF Doom and the hazy melodies of Yo La Tengo and The Cure, to create an aural Venn diagram from where he delivers his distinct rap/ indie hybrid. However, it's certainly not all sunshine, with darker, moodier songs like 'Break It Off' and 'Petals' revealing a sharp wit and penchant for a lyrical barb or two. New single 'Yesterdays' however gets an appropriately bonkers and mind bending video courtesy of Dexter Navy, and provides a glimpse into the deliriously addictive world of Only Real. You'd do well to surrender to his wiles now.
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