This is a review of "Plasters" recorded by Allusondrugs. The review was written by IS Ramsay in 2013.

Adopted as their own by the city of Leeds due to their committed and relentless gigging in the city, Castleford band, Allusondrugs deliver their debut single 'Plasters' into the world on the 19th of August via local label, Clue Records.

Inviting you in with a dual, jangly guitar sequence the (normally grunge-sounding) band launch into this baggy, shoegaze track which is highly reminiscent of 90's indie-darlings Ride and Chapterhouse. This track doesn't sound rehashed or dated though and, instead, is a fantastic modern take on a much loved and often missed genre.

The track is almost summery in disposition (possibly aided by the accompanying video which has the boys larking about in open, dandelion covered fields) and whilst it has more than an upbeat air to it I'm sure the lyrics cover something much sadder and darker, giving that general angsty feeling of slight hope tempered with the inevitable play-out of unrequited or broken love. The vocals flow seemlessly and effortlessly with the shimmering musical accompaniment and at one point form an almost feminine sounding harmony before developing into a more familiar grungey sound towards the end but, all the while, still managing to stay true to the song's shoegaze roots.

There is a lot to be excited about with this single and should this be the musical direction Allusondrugs choose to travel down they're going to make a lot of people and a lot of ears very happy.

Make no mistake, were this song to have been released during those halycon days of the 1990s when shoegaze was at its peak this song would have been declared an anthem and Allusondrugs would have been gracing the front cover of next week's NME.

www.allusondrugs.com/
www.facebook.com/ClueRecords
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seaLc4vgOPI