Wondering just how to start this review I went for the tried and tested look up the band name and see if other than as a moniker it has any real meaning and discovered that according to Urban Dictionary it is a person who pokes a giraffe why glomping a koala bear! Well OK then, that’s rather different and perhaps the resulting noise this action makes is akin to the music made by this swarthy looking trio from Marseilles in France. What we have here is essentially a noise rock album of rugged and obtuse angular riffs in an experimental and somewhat head-spinning vein described as reminiscent of bands such as Keelhaul and Craw, the former being one that I have at least heard of. This one takes me slightly out of my comfort zone but I can at least have a stab at describing the somewhat chaotic noise from this seven track abrasive deluge of contorted sounds.
Meaty jagged grooves take us into Staring Into Space which rattles away with a chundering grating noise before the track opens up and slews off. It’s all quite uncomfortable especially when adding the ranted out lurch of the vocal parts. Going back in time musically and sonically I would put this in the hardcore sort of bracket forged by Fugazi but it is a lot less accessible. The bombast behind it all is somewhat reminiscent of work by Steve Albini and early Big Black but I suppose with what I have heard on a more contemporary level this one would appeal to lovers of bands like Botch. It does not feel like staring into space but being on a collision course on a haywire spaceship just about to plummet into a black hole. The groovy ‘I’m Swimming Home’ has a good melody about it before going all skew-wiff and I am trying to get a grip on the vocals. They sound like the work of a tramp pissed off with work whilst on a cocktail of Special Brew and Ketamine. Then it makes sense as I realise that this is the perfect description of The Fall vocalist Mark E Smith, yep they remind me of him off on one. This is definitely not music for everyone and it is a deranged listen for those who love being taken on a giddy ride where convention is thrown straight out the window, followed closely by people trying to get away from the racket it makes. Luckily I quite like it.
There’s plenty of sweary ranting and slow, massive drum blasts to ‘My Bloody Galantine’ which goes into a seasick sounding rhythmic melange of sound making you feel like you have gone green and are just about to throw up over the side and follow your vomit down as you plunge over the side. Drastic but it does make you want to get away from it in a manic driven panic. There is a respite from the vocals at times as the band just get into a long instrumental jam elongating the riffs beyond any comfortable levels; actually there is little in the way of comfort found here at all but I guess that’s entirely the point. ‘What Are Tuesdays For’ is a very good question and if the answer, which it may well be, is going postal than this track is definitely your soundtrack. It’s quite mental and very fast too as it volleys off into mayhem with sharp guitars ploughing away and more of those volatile vocals surging away. You can easily head-bang if you want but you may well end up with your head on back to front! If you like music that feels like being grabbed by a big dog and flung around like a piece of rag then this will go down really well and you will happily make it through for the final epic and labyrinthine mentalism of ‘On The Couch’ I have given this plenty of spins and got more into it on each one; the new neighbours next door however are probably thinking of moving out. Perhaps it wasn’t fair deciding to blare this out and review it at 9AM on a Sunday morning!
PS just in case you were wondering glomping is not a sexual act and is all about giving a hug, ahhh!
(7/10 Pete Woods)
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