CLINIC

Whether they're the world's biggest M*A*S*H fans or simply bird flu-fearing, the four Liverpudian lads of CLINIC certainly know their way around a gimmick.

They also know their way around a dense, insular sound that seems almost perversely determined to push you away even as it's drawing you ever-closer to its cold, hard heart.

Listening to VISITATIONS, their 2006 album that was just released in the U.S. this past week, is perhaps a bit akin to navigating that hedge-maze in THE SHINING. But not during the daytime, in the fall, with SHELLEY DUVALL (though Shelley Duvall is certainly creepy and then some). No, this would be a nighttime navigation, in the dead of winter, with a freshly-hatched-from-the-cuckoo's-nest JACK NICHOLSON lurching after us with an ax.

This is music that revels in dead ends. Blind corners. Everywhere you turn, the sense of impending doom and deja vu is overwhelming. Depressing. Deadening. Don't go into the light, Carol Anne! But never mind; there's no light to be had. And no SCATMAN with a Sno-Cat to save you.

(How 'bout that. Turns out this entire post was just an excuse to get in an entirely irrelevant SCATMAN CROTHERS reference. Odd. Very odd.)

CLINIC on MySPACE.

CLINIC in the UK, US, and CA...

Feb 3 2007 7:00P/The Social/Nottingham, Midlands
Feb 4 2007 11:00P/Optimo/Glasgow, Scotland
Feb 9 2007 7:00P/Concorde 2/Brighton, South
Feb 10 2007 7:30P/Club Academy/Manchester, Northeast

Mar 2 2007 8:00P/Troubadour/Los Angeles, California
Mar 3 2007 8:00P/Noise Pop/San Francisco, California
Mar 6 2007 8:00P/Black Cat/Washington DC
Mar 7 2007 8:00P/Johnny Brendas/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mar 10 2007 8:00P/Middle East/Cambridge, Massachusetts

Mar 11 2007 8:00P/La Sala Rossa/Montreal, Quebec
Mar 12 2007 8:00P/Lee's Palace/Toronto, Ontario

From the LP VISITATIONS, 2007 >>>
[MP3] [VID] "If You Could Read Your Mind"
[MP3] "Jigsaw Man"

From the LP WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL, 2004 >>>
[MP3] "Anne"
[MP3] "Thank You (For Living)

From the LP WALKING WITH THEE, 2002 >>>
[MP3] "The Equaliser"

From the LP INTERNAL WRANGLER, 2000 >>>
[MP3] [VID] "Distortions"