ALBUM REVIEW: Painted Doll – Painted Doll
It sounds like the beginning of a long-winded joke; “So, a death metal guy and a power pop bloke get hammered together after a Goblin gig in Texas, right, and they start trying to outdo each other with obscure British and Dutch psych pop from the late 60s/early 70s…” When it comes to the dynamic duo that make up PAINTED DOLL though, this is no laughing matter despite the fact that one half is comedian Dave Hill. Together with Chris Reifert, famed for his work with both AUTOPSY and DEATH, the pair have signed to independent label Tee Pee Records, recorded their self-titled debut under the guidance of Tom Beajour, whacked one of the most colourful and surreal pieces of artwork you’ll see in 2018 on the top and released it to the world, out today.
It seems to be the agreement that if somebody who is an actor/comedian/other celebrity decides to record and release an album, it is little more than a novelty and something fun to do. There are exceptions of course, just look at THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS for example, but it’s all too easy to dismiss them as a one-off. PAINTED DOLL, on the other hand, are taking this very seriously; as Hidden Hand gets underway with its catchy, psychedelic melodies, what emerges is a solid record that occasionally hints at a greater potential within. The title track floats along nicely with a guitar tone reminiscent of THE CULT, and Eclipse has an air of the bigger bands in PAINTED DOLL‘s field in the likes of TURBOWOLF AND SCORPION CHILD. Outside of this, Stairwell is a real mover-and-shaker that does plenty to affirm Hill’s love of THE KINKS with its 60s aura and Find Your Mind begins in classic rock territory before developing into a thumping punk number that flies by as quickly as it comes. It’s also excellent to see Reifert spread his wings into softer territory than the blast beats and thunderous fills he gave on the likes of Scream Bloody Gore, highlighting his range and dexterity on the skins.
If there’s one area that this record falls short of, however, it’s a lack of originality at times. PAINTED DOLL might have some chops but they’re certainly not a patch on some of the other psychedelic rock bands around and, whilst in the minority, a few of the numbers flirt dangerously close to ‘rip off’ status. The least offensive is She Talks to Mirrors which isn’t so much a bad song but suffers from being less interesting than the tracks around it, but I Put A Spell On You, could have been a MUSE b-side in terms of its fuzzy guitars and distorted vocals. The record starts in uncomfortable fashion as well; Together Alone skirts so near to the sound and structure of (Don’t Fear) The Reaper that BLUE OYSTER CULT could have their lawyers reaching for the phone and subsequent song Carousel follows suit with the vibes of LYNYRD SKYNYRD. They’re all just about different enough to avoid such problems, of course, but one can’t help but squirm a little at the thought.
This shouldn’t put people off completely though; for those out there who like things a little weird and wonderful, PAINTED DOLL have produced something that, whilst not always cutting edge or memorable, is certainly fun and short enough to fill a gap in people’s schedules. If Hill and Reifert decide to make this a regular project, it wouldn’t be a bad decision whatsoever.
Rating: 6/10
Painted Doll is out now via Tee Pee Records.
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