QUANTUM PIG

Nu-prog and punk collide, with a philosophical twist.

What’s in a band name? The bizarrely named Quantum Pig are another signing to the burgeoning White Star label, which is co-helmed by Arena/It Bites/Lonely Robot/Frost* guitarist John Mitchell. Formed by multiinstrumentalist Ian Faragher and We Do Things Differently author Mark Stevenson, QP tout themselves as ‘genre hopping’, citing a diverse array of influences, amongst them bedfellows as unlikely as Queen, The Stranglers, Kraftwerk, Hüsker Dü and Carl Sagan. At first blush that may sound rather improbable and attention-seeking. However on delving into Songs…, QP’s claims withstand scrutiny, both musically and lyrically. Tracks such as single Citizen And State and Things are intense three-minute romps, with the former displaying a gnarly punkish edge. By contrast Statement Of Intent is a slow-burning but satisfying opener reminiscent of Mitchell’s own Lonely Robot work, while Long Letter Home is a 12-minute expansive and engaging slab of modern prog. QP save the best for last, though, with Keep The Nation Warm and the moving, minimalist Dirty Old Engine. Songs… is a cracking debut album; perhaps that band name does make a modicum of sense after all.