Blisterine – September/October 1997
Style: unPure pop
Line-Up: Mark Henning (bass, vocals); Tarbash (drums); Malcolm Tente
(guitar, vocals)
Contact: Poncy Rocket Records, P.O. Box 4078, 349 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC V6B 3Z6 Ph/Fax: (416) 762-BENT;
Ex Pure founder Mark Henning resurfaces on So I Have Them , the debut from his new band, Blisterine. Recorded and mixed by Henning at Tomorrowland (and produced by the band), the Vancouver power trio has the rips and tears of an old pair of Docs, some of the twitches that come with too many sleepless nights, and the melodic nicety of those little kittens streetkids like to cuddle for appearances. “Clean Break” starts as nasty and raw as any old punk song, then cuts in with a sweet incongruous pop chorus, and so it goes…nasty…sweet…nasty…sweet. The next cut, “Gratitude”, is a little more straightforward, or so it seems…, before a jazzy interlude interrupts the melodic rock. “This is only the beginning of our adventure,” Henning sings. He isn’t kidding. While there’s more “normal” pop tracks like “Mr. Right” and “Goldfish” on the recording, Blisterine oozes humour on the one-and-a-bit minute punk assault “Dipshit In A Pickup Truck.” Hennings voice is certainly rough around the edges, like he needs a good gargle, but it works – probably more so live.