Album Review: For Screening Purposes Only by Test Icicles

This Anglo-American trio are ideal for those who worry that UK indie has become dominated by bands like Arctic Monkeys, whose desire to be popular compels them to write songs that radio likes to play. Test Icicles do the opposite, blasting together disjointed bits of guitar, drum machine and vocals to make a virtue of ugliness. They've become a word-of-mouth sensation on the basis of their live shows, which must be amazing, because in their recorded form the Icicles are generic metal caterwaulers.

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It's always interesting to watch Britain's "Next Big Thing" chew up and spit out one band after another, victims of an overly hyperbolic press and, all too often, too much too soon syndrome striking them down. Test Icicles may qualify for the briefest tenure yet, with one album out, a ton of press, and then... The band breaks up and everyone's already forgotten them anyway, in order to bestow their garlands on the Arctic Monkeys.

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