I leant an ear to the previous Sonic Mook compilation mostly becauseColin Newman plugged it on a radio show for Resonance FM during hisfascination with the 'return to rock' which he felt was happening. Rocknever really went away though. There were a few good tracks amongst theinevitable mediocrity and Liars turned out to be a great live band.This third Sonic Mook compilation is mostly so dire it's tragic. Mostof these bands seem to be making utterly botched attempts to filterpunk rock, disco, glam and electro pop through inept lo-fi lobestrainers. The gist seems to be that even if you have little talent,even so little as to be comedic, but have plenty of attitude then youshould feel free to waste everyone's time with your puerile mash upantics. Unfortunately for some of these clowns, some of us have anincling of just how fast time is running out. Each of the twenty-fourbands has been saddled with a patronising little self-beliefsoubriquet, as if their rehashed audio-stew isn't enough in itself tojustify their existance. The turgid Big Two Hundred have the memo'Persistance and determination alone are ominipotent.' Not if this isthe best they could do - watch them disappear. The funniest band mightbe Bane Overlord, whose singer has stolen his entire shtick from Liarsbut lost the essential fraction (weird lyrics, a small dose oforiginality and experimentation), and their drummer makes a go ofwooden funk. At least they're so bad they're funny, unlike the feysynthpopper Ed Laliq who redefines boundaries of dated tedium. !!! suckdue to a crap annoying singer and get my vote as the most over-ratedband with a Brainwashed website [Owch! —Ed.].Radio 4 want to be Gang of 4 so much they couldn't even change thenumber even though there are more than four of them, and at least theycan play even if they are a bit dull and worthy. Valerie can probablyhardly play and couldn't be called dull live, but "Popstar" shows abrash lack of ambition with a song about getting a review in the eNMEy.They are being ironic and are a spit in the face of every serious musowannabe band. I'd like to think irony is at the wooden heart of thepainfully awful Pink Grease, a comedy glam racket who aren't evenfunny. Chrome Hoof at least don't bother with annoying vocals and arecontent to try out being a third rate Add N to (X) rip off. Kings HaveLong Arms are Donna Summer reimagined by a Sheffield beer belly, butmuch less interesting than that might seem. The incredibly over-ratedErase Errata, who are like a less spiky Dogfaced Hermans, contribute alistenable yet forgettable track. This is infinitely preferable to theweak and putrid Lamaque-yoof fodder spewed up by the new wave of newwave of new wave of new wave of diminishing reruns heralded by thesoulless mundanity of Klang and Mommy and Daddy. A few bands transcendthe line of mediocrity below which the tepid diahorrea stirs. The YeahYeahs Yeahs "Machine" is an old song you probably already heard, and itkicks a small bit of wild west ass; Ex Models might be OK if this tightwound strut is one of their weaker tracks, and like The Martini HenryRifles at least summon some energy; and Part Chimp seem out of place bybeing a band who actually rock hard, but their guitarist Tim Cedar'sbeen kicking out the jams for ages now in bands such as Loveblobs,Ligament and Penthouse, so that's no big surprise. If you find this inthe bargain bin for a dollar or two like I did, then this is worthgetting for the Part Chimp track, but you might as well just buy theiralbum instead and cut out all the dated jokes without punchlines. samples:
- Chrome Hoof - Opus of Regret
- Valerie - Popstar
- Part Chimp - Cover Me
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