"You know how we hate to stick our necks out at such an early stage in the year, but could the debut release from London’s Querelle be the best 29 minutes of skull twisting guitar grind groove never made by Sonic Youth. That’s your choice, but one things for certain since arriving here this scorching seven track mini album has been causing sizeable ructions on the poor hi-fi. From the Bristol based label that brought us the Playwrights, Chikinki, Gravenhurst, Controller Controller and the Vibration – so you know instantly that this has good taste stamped all over it, this self titled debut features 7 gruelling slabs of unrivalled sonic punishment. Originally from Italy but now holed up in London Querelle are a trio – two boys / one girl and hell can they make a racket. Each of these cuts fester with a vicious impatience endowing a sense of something unloved, from the minute the opening ‘Shanty Town’ kicks in to the dying embers left by the parting ‘Diverging’ – Querelle drag you by the hair roots kicking and screaming to clout you senseless with their mutant brew of angular post rock pop. Potent, incisive and infectious ‘Shanty Town’ lulls you in to its lair with a mocking fix that sounds like a gritty Coldplay playing through memory before unexpectedly baring its teeth for a spot of eye popping discordant detuned carnage that has all the brutal traits of ‘Dirty’ era Thurston and Co being fucked over and bastardised by Big Black amid a sea of howling feedback shrieks. Rather than trying to crack open your skull both ‘Sore’ and ‘Just the Song’ provide the album with it’s most er – tranquil moments, never let it be said though that the tranquil referred to here is the same tranquil that most ensembles would ascribe to, no these are more psychologically punishing opting for a hidden menace rather than out and out eyeballing. The self loathing ‘Sore’ rears its head and locks target, taking its cue from ‘In Utero’ era Nirvana it blisters and twists in its own despair, a rabid slice of lack lustre infected riffs hollowed, bruised but maintaining enough attrition to melt headphones at several paces. The icy funereal throb of ‘Just a Song’ fingers ominously trying to unhinge your psyche, morose rather than gloomy it’s a heaving mass of densely almost impenetrable wall of brooding atmospherics pretty much in the best tradition of godspeed as though being found desperate and at the end of the line, applying to their usual epics of desolation riffs in the form of shards of glass. From therein its hell bound hanging onto the devil’s own death cart we go as Querelle muddy the mix raining down upon your head an unyielding cocktail of heavy bearing fucked up grunge as on ‘I don’t want it’ and asymmetrical squall as provided for on the vicious angular rout of ’Insect – o- Cutor’ with it’s frenzied throat throttling hypnotics. Best of the set though by a short whisker is the Quickspace like ‘Silly little things’ – a positively square jawed, skinny tie strut ablaze with sonic pyrotechnics that’s both beautiful and bloodied, its tarnished melodies are fraught and splintered and tripped with a melancholic tinge brought to bear by a cascade of tearful apocalyptic chimes. Punishing perfection indeed." - Losing Today

"The raw crunch of Death Cab For Cutie embracing the pop sensibilities of Ben Davies - This album can do no wrong - tuneful, heavy and utterly arresting. 'Shanty Town' is an indie classic." - Rock Sound

"Querelle look like they are ready to take on the world. Opener 'Shanty Town' sounds like the kind of song Doves have been desperately looking for, while 'Sore' pays homage to early Radiohead. And 'Little Silly Things' is an epic monster of a song capable of decapitating anyone daring to play it loud enough. Querelle truly have something special." - The Big Issue

"I have found a band I have truly fallen in love with. Their sound is engrossing, challenging; a piece of beauty in an all too bland music world. The trouble is though is that this band could become all too easily over looked. I'm sure that won't happen, and within a few weeks they will be this week's "it band" whether they want it or not. Some hip scene magazine will come along, write an article and boom: they'll be playing the trendiest clubs, to the trendiest people. Whether everyone will truly understand the meaning behind 'Insect-O-cutor' or not won't matter to the crowd. The band might be mocking them and it'll only be a handful that understands the irony. Embrace this band. Entwine yourself amongst the raw, yet delicate, sounds. All this, and it's only a mini-album. Goodness knows what they'll pull out of the hat on the full length. It's their time." - If Mice Could Move Mountains

"Astounding." - Unpeeled

"The rumours are true kids! The exquisite Querelle are back – and this time they are actually releasing some of their Sonic Youth/Blonde Redhead influenced magic. For those of you who missed out on the beauty last time around, Querelle are a gorgeously textured, uninhibited experimental fusion of melody and noise, with some seriously penetrating lyrics delivered in their seductive Italian tones. Tragically, nothing was ever released prior to their split shortly after forming in 2001, which serves to enhance the importance of their self titled debut mini album, which arrives at long last on Sink and Stove Records. Comprising 7 delectable songs, this mini album boasts aching guitars, frenetic feedback, sweeping melodies and drums that devour. Highlight ‘Just a Song’ is a divinely melodious serving of sultry, lolloping guitar and graphic, vivid lyrics. Gritty and violent, but similarly seductive and lavish, ‘Just a Song’ possesses that spine tingling ability reserved for the very few truly magical moments found in songs. Provocatively haunting and intelligent lyrics characterise this album as much as the jagged, sultry guitars. Particular lyrical jewels can be found within the textured layering of ‘Insect-o-cutor’; “check out the calories low-fat catharsis for your skin”, and the evocative ‘Shanty Town’. Yes. Querelle are back. Welcome home." - Gigwise

"Unique name, unique band. Some of the songs on show here are absolutely knockout. The phenomenal 'Sore' is reminiscent of The Go-betweens at their finest. 'Insect-o-cutor' is a hypnotic sonic guitar pop gem with a little 'My Bloody Valentine' about it. The Afghan Whig-esque, 'Diverging' and 'I Don't Want It' are also worthy of note too. A type of genius at work." - Positive Creed

"In this world so is full of hype and celebrities entertaining us, it is so stimulating to get something bright, unknown and unexpected! In particular during the summer months when it looks like the only decent things released are on independent labels. Enter the world of Querelle, a trio of reprobates on this Bristol label release. The seven tracker is a mini album that pulsates with alternative hats on, something like Sonic Youth but dirtier sounding! ‘Shanty Town’ takes us in nicely but then ‘Sore’ explodes like a nightmare… They also know the darker places that are as sparse as a minimalist painting on ‘Just A Song’ but as mesmerising as a sexy dream. Noisy, rousing and rebellious... 29 minutes of bliss!" - Deo 2

"The album is stunning. It's everything for which we could have hoped and, yes, as the cliché has it, so much more.From the opening cyclical riff of 'Shanty Town', to the closing refrain of 'Diverging', it's clear that this record is exactly as it should be. Elegiac and full of natural grace and staggering poise; the precise realisation of a Querelle gig. And, as with all the best songs, 'Sore' lifts you up as it reaches for the heavens. It's a song that, when you first hear it, fulfils everything that you wish it could. It's the song that is going to make you fall in love with Querelle. It's the song that most completely represents everything that they seem to symbolise. Some things are a long time in coming. And some things, it turns out, are well worth the wait." - New Noise

"7 tracks from Querelle, a band who originate from Italy, but are now based in North London. the band play indie rock that dips into shoegazing, Sonic Youth layers, and hook ridden creation styled pop songs. the gazers will love opener 'Shanty Town', a simple repetitive guitar riff is kicked off and maintained, over the 4.5 minutes extras are subtly layered and before you realise it we are into a full aural onslaught with Jesus and Marychain feedback. glorious stuff. the mood becomes a little darker and more tortured with 'Sore' that recalls the whole of the grunge era, doom ridden lyrics and more feedback. luckily though there is a time and place for everything, and seeing as grunge has not been on my play list for a long time, this means the song is a welcome reminder of how good it can be if done right. of course the abundance of fuzzed up layers and feedback make this much more fun. gotta love that fuzzbox. Straight to the roots of the passion of indie rock 'Insect-o-cutor' really kicks your senses into touch at the four minutes mark when all hell breaks loose following a great intense build up.Check out this fine opening debut." - I Really Love Music

"Right now, I'm ready to worship Querelle" - New Noise

"A sound as expansive as that of The Mars Volta. Post-rock someone called it. Wrong. Clangourous, Albini-approved ramshackle rock is closer to the mark. Like Shellac? Imagine a half-speed, half-awake version of the same and you've got them pinned" - Logo Magazine

"Stretched over a canvas of deliquescent pessimism and lyrically painted by the delicate intones of an Italian Julian Casablancas, Querelle depict a triumph of post-rock romanticism, nursed by tentative guitars and submissive bass lines." - Lipgloss Magazine

"The contrasting question / answer dynamics, switching from floaty dreaminess to rugged, twisted awkward feedback is chillingly good, and while Sonic Youth are so often bandied about as an influence for bands, it's clear here that they've got a bit of thing for alt. jazz punk noise." - Playlouder

"Querelle are the punch in the face that you know is about to come, the relationship you can feel ineluctably sliding down to its messy end…. Mesmerising." - Oxford News

"As the aching guitar and thundering drums crash into a cacophonous finale, I realise that I never want to be without Querelle again. I want to rush out and buy their records. The only problem is that they haven't even made any yet." - Bleedmusic