The title pretty much warns you that you’re in for something a bit, erm… well not quite Radio2 anyway. And you’d be right, because this is a great big fucking bizarre mess of a record and, well, totally brilliant if you ask me.
This EP is a compilation of old material, described by the band as “b-sides and re-released a-sides”. It’s full of meandering thoughts which get lost from time to time, lots of odd noises, a bit of growly shouting where you might expect some singing and all sorts of other antisocial behaviour.
A lot of experimental stuff I listen to is quieter in its noodling, but this is a screechy, aggressive, in your face record which frankly makes my ears hurt, as much as I do like it. Self Assembled Martyr might be the most palatable song, because there’s a fairly constant thrum of ukulele throughout most of the track, giving a rather welcome crumb of solace.
Everything else sounds like the bad dreams of a puppet from a Punch & Judy show which has finally had enough of all the darkness and lies gibbering in a corner of its darkened bedroom, clutching a bottle of gin from which the last drops have long since been licked.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Website | More mp3s | Download from CLLCT
I don’t know what the damn hell it is about dressing formally which makes me feel so uncomfortable, but it does. Presumably just because I’m such a scruffy fucker for the entire rest of my life, those few hours every year I spend in a (vaguely) ironed shirt and pair of proper shoes just seem so completely out of character as to be really quite discomfiting.
Still, at our age everyone we know seems to be either getting married or breeding (and not infrequently both) so the old whistle is going to have to get used to seeing a little bit more action over the next few years, it seems. The ludicrous thing is that I actually have a couple of really nice suits, but I never get round to wearing the fuckers because it just all seems too much like hard work.
This weekend, people. In a suit. Me! Would you believe it. I really should thank all these marrying bastards for saving my investment in suits from being complete waste of money it would be if I actually was left to my own devices.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
01. Joker’s Daughter – The Bouncing Liquorice (02.22)
02. Lloyd Cole – Undressed (05.52)
03. The Besnard Lakes – Like the Ocean, Like the Innocent Pt.1: The Innocent (11.53)
04. Shearwater – God Made Me (18.52)
05. King Post Kitsch – Alaska (24.52)
06. Cold Lake Flight School – Driftwood (30.16)
07. Dan Sartain – Ruby Carol (32.52)
08. The Japanese War Effort – Lanark (38.01)
09. Oreaganomics – Self-assembled Martyr (45.35)
10. The Stands – Some Weekend Night (53.45)
