7/10

Arriving three years after their previous studio album 'Disgraceland', Chicago-based garage-rockers The Orwells have returned with their third full-length 'Terrible Human Beings'. And much like a lot of their previous material, it sees them take influence and inspiration from a vast spectrum of the United States' contributions to modern rock music.

With the wailing guitars of its opener 'They Put A Body In The Bayou', the comparisons to grunge-era outfits like Pixies are more than apparent. Even before we get to 'Black Francis', named after the Pixies' lead singer, the band seem to be paying a great homage the early 90s sound throughout much of this release. But without sounding too much like a rip-off, 'Terrible Human Beings' does a great job in bringing this instantly identifiable style to a contemporary audience.

While there isn't much in the way of a stand-out single on this record, that does ultimately play to its advantage. Creating a succinct and cohesive full-length that stands just as strong by the end as it did when it began.