Husky Rescue - Fast Lane

You remember the video for Cornershop’s ‘Brimful Of Asha’? That’s exactly what reviewing singles looks like. A brightly coloured world where record after record is chosen; we sing, we dance, we twirl our pigtails. It’s a magic time and a magic place. Don’t think for one second we deal with zipped-up and e-mailed MP3s. Don’t believe anyone who talks of release schedules, pressure, writer’s block or word counts. They don’t exist. There’s no demand on who gets reviewed and who doesn’t, it just happens, maybe the Gods decide for us. A pretty sleeve might catch your eye, or better, a great band name is always guaranteed to get the vinyl out the sleeve and onto the tiny little plastic record player.

Husky Rescue have a great name, combining the sure fire gold of a cute-in-theory animal and wistful images of the Arctic tundra. Husky Rescue were always going to get a play, hell even their logo on the sleeve looks like a skinny whimsical take on the Metallica logo. Let’s listen to Husky Rescue. Ooooh, it starts real lovely, it sounds like snow falling, or the sound snow might make if snow made sound. The pace is blissfully mesmeric; you could imagine sitting on the back of a sledge whilst the huskies break into a gentle gallop (huskies gallop right?), it’s bumpy, it feels fast and kind of exhilarating, the freshest air imaginable makes you gasp, the sun glints off the snow and sparkles in everyone’s eyes. You can settle back safe in the knowledge this is going to be an enchanting ride.

And then… and then you realise it’s all starting to look the same. The landscape which was captivating and slightly breathtaking suddenly seems to be repeating over and over. It’s impossible to gauge depth or distance, it’s just an expanse of white that appears to go on forever. It ends real lovely too, it’s just all a bit overly nice though. You kinda wish the huskies would be released from their tethers so you could watch them run wild and bare their teeth rather than this muzzled politeness.