 Billy
Syndrome
"Between" CDR
Slutfish
Records
Genres: experimental rock, psychedelic rock, acid
rock
Slutfish Records
327 Bedford Ave #A2
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Nov 25 - Dec 1 2002 |
Last
time we saw Billy Syndrome, we didn't even hesitate to call his
music stupid. Perhaps that was attributable to his previous effort's
title, The Stupidest Show on Earth, but it really was pretty
stupid, y'know? Stupid, yet good. Oddly enough. So here he is again,
with a new CDR titled Between. And guess what? He's still
stupid. Thank heavens for that.
Composed of various psychedelic rock songs and interesting sound
experiments, Billy has not lost his touch at all. From the
nonsensical poetry of "Experiments in Fear" to the stoned
rock of "What Do You Want From Me Baby?", and even the 60's
acid-esque craziness of "Pledging My Love" (a cover,
nonetheless), Between is a solid circular disc of crunchy
musical havoc. Like the band that was kicked out of the 60's psychedelic
movement for being a bit too out there, Billy and co.
manage to completely confuse the average listener, taking them on a
journey through insane noises and melodies that they have never likely
experienced before. But once you're used to his weirdness, you're
hooked.
You see, while his music may be very scattered and fragmented,
there's still an underlying zest for the basic components of rock -
rhythm, composition, and even melody. And while his covers, including Hendrix's
"Manic D," are probably the most accessible parts of this
full-length, he still exhibits a zest for tunefulness on tracks like
"Disappear" and "Pumpkin at Eleven." However, keep
in mind this accessibility is not always as straightforward as you may
think it is - these are likely the most bizarre hooks I've ever heard
(well, almost).
Oh yeah, and bonus marks are given for the inclusion of bonus track
"The Power of Love," a Billy Syndrome rarity that
never made it onto last year's 5CD Billy Syndrome Bag Set. It's
a funky, head-bobbing good time with a great, carefree feeling to it.
82%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
11 tracks; distributed by the
label;
released 2002] |
