The Horrors

Luminous (XL Recordings)

How has a UK band once so exciting grown so unbelievably dull? Luminous‘ opener “Chasing Shadows” hits six minutes, three of them intro. The Horrors always sounded like a bandload of crate diggers, but the records they formerly plundered held more thrills than the Spiritualized catalog they’ve swallowed whole. Every song now arrives overlong, filled with trance beats, electro sheen, and yawning vocals. 2007 debut Strange House rose viscerally, a noisesome garage-punk threat mashing up the Birthday Party and Cramps and dressing it like Johnny Thunders as a guest on The Addams Family. The point of psych is that drugs enhance the musical experience, but only 16 hits of trucker speed could focus this droney mess. (Sat., 10:45pm, Reverberation Stage)

*

This article appears in May 2 • 2014.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

Tim Stegall contributed to The Austin Chronicle 1991-1995, and was a staff writer 1995-1997. He returned as a contributor in 2013. He has also freelanced for publications ranging from Flipside to Alternative Press to Guitar World. He plays punk rock guitar and sings in the Hormones.