Expecting Taste to be all shoegaze could seem honest mistake due to the melancholy, acoustic opener “And Let Me Drift Away.” However, immediately after, the band makes an immediate 180—the first sign of Taste‘s true punk aesthetic—and explodes into fast-paced noise rock.

Emphasis on the rock. The ethereal sonic soundscapes commonly attributed to shoegaze aren’t demonstrated here; Taste is pure aggression. Certain aspects of The Jesus and Mary Chain‘s 1985 acclaimed album Psychocandy are an obvious influence, combined with a dash of Sonic Youth‘s noise rock and rebellious attitude.

Unfortunately, The Telescopes’s songwriting talents aren’t up to the level of their influences. But, for a debut, it shows promise. However, the band would shift styles on their next, self-titled album towards a more mainstream use of noise feedback and join the growing shoegaze scene of the early ’90s.