The Boxer Rebellion: Watermelon

The original Boxer Rebellion uprising back in turn of the 20th century China was lead by a secret society that formed in protest at foreign corruption. The sword swirling swell of their Christian slicing namesakes has obviously had a lasting effect, because The Boxer Rebellion’s long-awaited Poptones debut is a viciously rock and roll wet dream.

Led by a torpedoing bass riff that would leave Muse or BRMC for dust, the track builds amidst a conundrum of towering feedback and viciously hypnotic hooks, as beautiful as they are loud. Vocally akin to the Sigur Ros bloke singing Spiritualized, Nathan Nicholson’s voice is purity incarnate. At least until the chorus creeps up and he contorts into a snarling rock juggernaut, writhing out lines like, ‘You said you want cigarettes, well I think I want girls.’ The disorderly queues are already forming.

‘Watermelon’s’ only direction is up, and its turbulent melody is made up of a blissful array of influences which never look like overpowering the band’s own creative heart. There’s a thousand bands that would kill to have the immediacy and all out rock sensibility that this song displays. Imagine Verve giving MC5 a right kicking. They can all bring it on, but we’ve seen The Boxer Rebellion coming a mile off, and any fakers will just die trying. The revolution starts here.