Page sans titre

Knowing Manu has ties with French Goth I didn't expect normality, as he'd made it clear this was somewhat off the regularly beaten track, and after brief samples we're rolled straight into "Brownie" with scampering rhythm machine, light guitar scrollwork and chortling laughter amidst mad vocal effects. The pace and bright, bustling guitar has a strangely tuneful energy all its own, and this seems initially like a punky form of Indie with expressive twists and sense of place, where the vocals seem almost lost in the mix, as if Johnny Moped had a proper band, if you know what I mean, although I doubt that many of you do.

The guitar gets grubbier and the mood more gloomy, restless and gargling overall during "Sick Priest" - think Cramps meets Fleshtones for a down at heel duel in a hazy alley. The twang of the guitar becomes more pronounced, the grime starts to have more of an early Goth zest as the vocals become gritty and debauched. "Beef Beat" by contrast is a louche, tingling thing; vocals intermingling with the music, almost fraying at the edges. The way the guitar droops, and slouches, while the vocals are capriciously hazy is very unusual. The rhythms are like salsa waylaid by drink and slapped about a bit, so don't think this is experimental or lack real form, it all hammers along very nicely, with a strange character, and we all like that.

"The Terror Maze" is lo-fi kitsch mayhem, very billyish with its loping guitar and constant snare tap, and the vocals are happy to follow the route one deportment, then he ratchets it up one jangling notch for closer "Voodoo Trance" This offers more distant, dour vocals but the guitar is prettier as the pace patters relentlessly, and although produced lightly this record has more life than you'd expect.

It also leaves you feeling quite odd. Every time you expect something typical to happen it doesn't, which means it's very much one of a kind, and anyone who likes their billy tangents should check it out pronto. Anyone who likes the furtive side of darkness may also be tickled.