I've always liked Pigface and, often, loved them because of the thingsthat set them apart from the legions of look-a-like and sound-a-likeindustrial-rock clones: a forever fluid membership (including manyfemales), variety, groove and an actual sense of humor.Drummer/producer Martin Atkins is rightfully proud of his 12-year-oldbaby—an unruly child with multiple personality disorder—and this timearound there's over 40 others, old and new, helping him feed, diaperand discipline it. All of the 13 tracks are restrained to the three- tofour-minute range (only one exceeds five minutes) and I can't help butnotice that most of the ones I dislike are the ones in which Atkins hasno writing credit. Even though there aren't really rules as to what isand what isn't "Pigface", about half of this album is run-of-the-millor out of place and just doesn't feel like Pigface to me."Mind Your Own Business" and "Sweetmeat" prove that you can write coolsongs about anything, even privacy via a "can I have a taste of yourice cream?" metaphor and unfortunate encounters with animals."Insect/Suspect" is an instant classic with bash and crash drums, KeithLevene-esque guitar (he actually appears on another track) by Kittie'sFallon Bowman and Hate Dept's Seibold and Chris Connelly trading offverse and chorus vocals. "Closer To Heaven" is the "hit" as it were,dripping with sitars and underpinned by Charles Levi's liquid bassline. Thrill Kill Kult's Groovie Mann is backed by Nocturne's LaceyConner in refrains of "I'm closer to heaven when I'm with you, I'mcloser to heaven without you." "Du Liebst Mich Nicht, Ich Lieb' DichNicht," ("You Love Me Not, I Love You Not") sees the successful returnof En Esch for another German language sing-a-long. In "Miss SwayAction," Connelly croons poetry over a lo-fi synth and percussionsetting by Machines of Loving Grace/Stabbing Westward alumnus DavidSuycott. That leaves all the rest: heavies dabbling in industrial rockand metal clichés (some of these will be fun live), a cyberpunk spokenword piece by Jared Louche, drum 'n bass filler and a vaguely amusingaddition to the "fucks" list led by the talking half of Penn &Teller. The "United" North American tour featuring Pigface, My LifeWith the Thrill Kill Kult, Zeromancer and Bile will hit the road inmid-March.
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