Even at their mid-90s peak, Veruca Salt – fronted by Louise Post and Nina Gordon – always came across as a less-interesting-sounding Breeders. After moderate success, Gordon left in 1998, amid much rancour, so when the original line-up reunited in 2013 it was a surprise. They do a good job of ticking off alt-rock touchstones on their comeback album – quiet-loud-quiet dynamics, fuzzed-up guitars, an all-pervading sense of angst that’s hardly becoming for fortysomethings – while opener The Gospel According to Saint Me is essence of AC/DC diluted to homeopathic levels. But there’s precious little to pique the listener’s interest(other than a track title referencing Prince Charles for no discernible reason). Even the infamous tensions between Post and Gordon – which might at least have provided some colour - are barely in evidence as song after song chugs inoffensively past. Dreary.
