When the pursuit of perfection is just missing the point ... The Scratch, Horn Reborn, St.Albans 22/12/04

It's 9.15 ... the band has been stood on stage for 5 minutes since being announced prematurely as 'Scratch' by the eager compare ... 15 minutes just isn't enough when there's 5 sets of symbols to manouver around ... Grim is still yet to plug in his pedals ... the lull adds fantastic suspense ... such hitches can often produce audible unease, not tonight ... the fuse is on a slow burn, to the biggest keg of dynamite that the poor old 'Horn Reborn' has witnessed in a long time. Spiral Scratch lasserates the front row with its first strafe of riffage and keeps going mercilessly through the guts of the whole room, not a second for applause between Critical Mass and Teen Idol ... the sound from my vantage point at the side of the stage is all too quite through the monitors, but for some reason tonight it doesn't matter ... there is a real aura around the band, a passion and a tension, movement isn't as obvious as in previous gigs, but I can feel the pumping of every heartbeat. The clarity and passion of the vocals completely defelect all the negatives ... Brainstorm, 80's (Time to say), Texture to the Flava and a gloriously loose but inspired X-Ray Eyes, put this set list up there as probably the best I've seen the band play ... as I said in my review of 2004, the band have been perseved as quiet this year ... but no revolution was ever planned in public ... my frustration at how long it has taken for the band to gain any kind of recognition, must be nothing compared to the boys themselves, especailly when they are clearly the most essential item on anyones new year resolution. Rumours abound of other 'scratch's' plying their trade in the local vicinity ... that's as maybe these are THE Scratch, so find yourselves a new name, you're not worthy.

Dave T.