SPILL SINGLE REVIEW: THE CRETINS – “HAVEN’T GOT A CLUE” (SINGLE)

The Cretins
“Haven’t Got A Clue” (Single)
Dirty Water Records

The latest band to emerge from the depths of the grimy Dirty Water Records roster is The Cretins, a four-piece outfit from Brighton and South London. As Dirty Water Records put it: “The label that brought you teenage terrorists like Thee Vicars and Archie and the Bunkers are proud to announce the latest batch of sons we never wanted: The Cretins.” With such an introduction, it comes as no surprise that their debut single, “Haven’t Got A Clue,” takes a proto-punk approach to early, ‘60s-influenced rock ‘n’ roll.

“Haven’t Got A Clue” opens to the sound of loud, in-your-face, obnoxious drums. From the sloshing and rough overpowering tone of the hi-hat, one would expect the song to explode at any given moment into a raucous punk banger; however, quite the opposite occurs.Taking inspiration from early rock pioneers from the late ‘50s and early to mid ‘60s, The Cretins bring in a sophisticated and smooth sense of melody – and surprisingly lush vocal harmonies – set overtop fuzz-laden and distorted guitars. Think of The Kinks, had the Davies brothers grown up in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

All in all, “Haven’t Got A Clue” is an exciting single from a brand-new band. Short and sweet, The Cretins immediately establish themselves as perhaps the most curious, and among the strongest new artists from Dirty Water Records, with a debut that is bound to turn heads and cause a stir.

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