Labels: Farm Girl
Review by: Kunal Nandi
This wonderful little compilation has its heart and soul in the hilly, cider-drenched southwest of England (mainly Bristol and Southampton). It was released into the wider, wilder world by a man called Dan, whose releases on his small but perfectly formed label Farmgirl Records and occasional gigs under the “Noise Annoys” banner have brought more rocking weirdness and wonderfulness than one county could comfortably manage. So by having more of a geographical focus, this compilation doesn’t feel the need to restrict itself to any particular musical ghetto. In fact, it’s all over the bloody shop, and thank God/Satan it is. Compilations are also easy if you’re chasing wordcount: just talk about each band individually. To whit”¦
Mugstar “” first of the honorary non-locals (i.e. Scousers) kick off proceedings with an instrumental that reminds me of Man? Or Astroman covering Iggy Pop’s theme for the movie “Repo Man” which had a scene where Emilio Estevez sings a Black Flag song. The only way you could have a better opener would be if you put Kyuss’ “Welcome To Sky Valley” on by accident and “Gardenia” came blasting out.
Ivory Springer “” quite why they are not playing to stadiums full of teenagers screaming their name is a mystery to my feeble mind. The Springer is a wiry proposition, packed with tightly wound tense energy. The minimal but hard-hitting power-trio setup translates into the refreshingly spare song structures, without an ounce of fat anywhere on the damn thing. Think Shellac and Fugazi, but think catchy too.
Hunting Lodge “” so gleefully musically incorrect that they come out on the other side of genius. Utterly atonal bass plops, random yellings and guitar abuse are held together by a relentless urge to reach the end of the song. Totally wrongcock. I love it.
SJ Esau “” the first foray away from rock, and it’s pleasantly psychedelic delay-pedal layered folky indie strummings that sound otherworldly yet eminently hummable, building to quite the crescendo. Excellent.
Little Creature “” hmm, not so sure about this lot, but the fuzzy lo-fi indie ramblings are not without their charm. It manages to bang it up a notch in the second half in an endearingly random manner.
Blurt “” an absolutely corking riff played on toy shop instruments (including 80’s sax) and probably recorded in the aforementioned retailer before everyone got chucked out. Wunderbar.
Steveless “” a certifiable lunatic, make no bones about it, and that’s a great thing. “Garden” is one of a bazillion patented Steveless songs already out there, and showcases his art damaged brand of Beefheart-y improvisational indie stomp, a description that fails to do it justice simply because it is utterly indescribable. John Peel loved him of course.
Big Joan “” Bristol’s most noisy dance band, or are they a groovy metal band? Either way, the mix shouldn’t work, but it does, completely and utterly. Undeniable fat / phat rhythms lock it all down while the guitar flails away, and in vocalist Annette Berlin, the band has a unique focal point that elevates them to the right side of greatness.
My Ambulance Is On Fire “” the comp’s first foray into the electronic side of things. There are a multitude of these “one man and his laptop” experimental outfits in the Bristol area, perhaps a reaction to all the dance music and hip-hop that originated there, or perhaps inspired by local hero Matt Elliot’s Third Eye Foundation project, but what sets MAIOF apart from the pack is an unwillingness to kowtow to anyone’s wish for a pleasant listen and the utterly sinister atmosphere evoked by the thrumming drones, spookily tinkered-with siren and animal samples and harsh noise.
Countryside Alliance vs. Team Brick “” some more electronic monkey business, this time with more of a rhythmic base to help you get a handle on proceedings. The skittering, palpitating drum beats remind me of the kind of thing you’d get Aphex Twin doing on Warp Records perhaps, with sudden intrusions of Shitmat-style gabba noise before some pastoral Boards Of Canada bloops. I dig.
I’m Being Good “” back to the rock, or rather, THE ROCK. These Londoners (I think) have a fine way with sudden unpredictable bursts of rage that are genuinely angry-sounding, all accentuated by the general angularity of it all.
Humans The Size Of Microphones “” quite possibly the best band in the UK at the moment. Chaotic, cathartic and crushing, HTSOM barely stay still long enough to keep up with themselves, let alone the listener. This instrumental effort courses through several passages that are akin to the aural equivalent of the final rush of adrenalin before your death. Magnificent.
Wreck Of Old ’98 “” I’m probably biased as I helped put out the LP this song is taken from, but I will say that this is incisive, intelligent and fun politicised punk rock, not a million miles away from The Minutemen, so you know it’s going to be good. Also: buy the LP. From me.
Geisha “” with one of the best song openings in recent times, as well as one of the best songtitles too, “The Year Of The One-Armed Drummer” showcases Geisha’s M.O. perfectly. Straight up rock outs that give way to bloated noise washouts, not unlike if Makoto Kawabata had a go at playing in a Nirvana covers band”¦ and succeeded! They don’t even play this song live anymore which gives some indicator of how good the new shit is.
Usagi “” this lot have a great girl / boy vocal interface going on here, that fits the spazzy, Pixies-esque, quiet verse, loud chorus style perfectly. More please!
Die All Bears “” noisy noisy noisy! And that’s how they like it.
Bilge Pump “” a long-running Leeds band that long ago learned how to marry metal and melody, all tense build-ups and satisfying payoffs that don’t sacrifice unpredictability in the process. They’ve been adopted down south after numerous tours and appearances here. Always good.
Oxolosoloxo “” Oxo-whatta-eh? Some feedback and effects begin over laidback drums, before building and building to a thoroughly bizarre cacophony of noise. I don’t get it, and maybe that’s the point.
The Illuminati “” a power-trio in all senses of the word(s) that take a keen melodic sense and deliberately fuck it up the arse with alchemical tricky time changes and pure, neck-wringing volume. Also it’s catchy as scrofula. The perfect parting shot.
This is a great comp, well presented and intelligently ordered. The best thing is that this doesn’t even scratch the surface of what the region has to offer! Roll on volume 2.