That's got to be one of the most interesting covers we've had for a while. Especially as #Tags (pronounced "Hashtags") seem to be suggesting that once you've forked out your hard earned cash for a copy of their CD, you then proceed to destroy it with a pair of scissors. A cunning ploy to make you buy two copies maybe? After all in this era of austerity and, as they've so topically pointed out, budget cuts, a band has to make money any way they can. What the cover really says though, barring any excessive sense of irony, is that 'Budget Cuts' isn't going to be one to file alongside 'Kid A' or 'Metal Machine Music'. Yes #Tags look zany alright, which either means annoyingly 'wacky' tunes for fans of Black Lace, or giddy and fun pop music for having a bloody good time to and forgetting anything about double dips and chemical weapons in Syria.
It's the second option they're aiming for, but they're taking it as close to the line as they can (you can buy a special edition with party poppers, chocolate, a bottle opener, a keyring and some stickers) but for the most part, if you ignore the gimmicks 'Budget Cuts' is decent enough indie/pop. The clappy 'Sick Of Heels' bounces along without a care in the world, as does the organ-led 'My Father's House' which is all spiky guitars and snappy vocals. 'Some Place New' has the potential to be a reasonable pop song if they just toned down the comic tendencies. 'I Wanna See You' and the Prince-like 'Kinda Inappropriate' overstep the mark though and it descends into novelty territory. But you suspect #Tags know that and it's part of their plan. They can write songs, what they do with them is questionable, and whether or not you're likely to find any enjoyment here will really depend on your frame of mind.
#Tags' website
Stream or buy the EP
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