serena maneesh - "drain cosmetics" (from the serena maneesh lp, import available for purchase here.)

in brief : norwegian rock comes of age.

serena maneesh marks a step forward for norwegian rock--at least, temporally. unlike many of their forebears, their record collection extends through the end of the 1980's. as such, "drain cosmetics" is under the influence of spacemen 3, the slashing, direct riffs recalling "take me to the other side" (even the first words are "take me ... "); the boy / girl dynamic and the occasional odd chord turn recall my bloody valentine ca. isn't anything.

of course, if that were all, it'd all be v. black rebel motorcycle club or the raveonettes; and that's hardly progress. unlike those two bands, they also don't sound as if they were consciously (or self-consciously) to trying to sound like someone else. serena maneesh also impress w/ the deftness of the synthesis, and show moments of true originality elsewhere on the self-titled album. those tracks, however, are more of a piece. moreover, they lack the amphetamine kick and pure rush of "drain cosmetics."