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The UK punk webzine http://www.fungalpunknature.co.uk has just posted the following fantastic review!
CARTOON VIOLENCE - WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE LIKELY LAD?
With a name such as Cartoon Violence the imagery the mind conjures up appears by the bucket load with many a pesky cat and mouse getting bloodied and battered with all types of wicked instruments. You could be forgiven for having preconceptions of a band who don't take themselves seriously and produce amateurish knockabout slapstick sonics just for the sheer hell of it. Do not be misled! This is high quality tuneage from a pop/skank outfit that ejaculate class in every direction available. The songs are cultured, quirky and given a final glossy production that helps the cause no end. 9 songs of comfortable Class-A structure and delivery with the Fungal one very keen to hear a shed load more. I reckon that git at Do The Dog Records (yes Kevin Flowerdew - YOU) has a fuckin' laboratory somewhere and is cloning talented musicians - come on you bastard come clean now! Anyway it is another concrete release from the label and just highlights again the wealth a super skillage out there. Ska sirens blare loud and clear - take cover and head to a gig now - do not miss out on this stuff - it is a real upsurge in strength and the ska scene surely is destined to erupt once more to the fore of the music world.
The first track here goes by the name of 'Vauxhall Nova' and deals with a love affair that has the victim so absorbed in his female adulation that he lets himself be run down by the aforementioned vehicle which is driven by the target of his passions. Almost 'Crash'-like in a roundabout way and a nice individuality to the lyric is always welcome as an escape from the drinking, fighting and political tirades I hear so very, very often. Ignition on, keys out and tinkled accordingly and the drive of the first verse is upon us. Sanguine and well-paced the gear shift into the wonderful chorus is ideal and we slip back into more ebony and ivory jangles before we are re-versed and taken back down to chorus lane and briefly park up in instrumental/vocal grove to bask in some splendid sonic sunshine. Pedal down and journeys end is soon achieved with an initial trip to tantalise the travelling taste buds of tuneology.
The tale of heartbreak and reclusive thoughtfulness that comes next is a fuckin' gem (Attic) and the lyrical brilliance and opposing joyous tune work for and against each other at the same time resulting in a very exciting musical moment. The negativity of the words are constantly questioned until a final plunge confirms everything that was feared is made reality as the love in question rebukes big time. The defeat could be overlooked if judgement was based on the music alone as all comes across as well and good. The music however is played with such excellent ability definite careful scrutiny is needed to fully appreciate what is going on here. The church-like 4-line segment towards the end is delivered in ushered tones and is a stroke of genius. The final disappointment is dealt with tidily and the closure is well-timed before we are soon thrown into the opening brilliance of 'Teresa'. I love the first verse and the whole compliment of skanking vibes and superb singing are a pinnacle to be admired. Play it over and over and the sonic scenery just becomes more and more impressive. The song shuffles along with a vibe that has more drive than is initially apparent and the consistent pace retains toe-tapping interest from first to last and is a beautiful lead into the pursuing seriousness of 'Cartoon Violence'. A sudden about turn is given and catches the listener unawares. A darkness of tone and a more serious edge make this track punctuate the whole album and rouses this reviewer into renewed life. Very effective and perfectly positioned and a total emboldening edge to it's counterparts on both sides of the sonic burst.
A cabaret cum musical approach next that seems a bastardised Manhattan Transfer cocktail clutterbucket that may be the odd sock in the basket but if assessed on nothing more than its individual identity does the job with aplomb. The theatrics run deep with 'Easy Tiger' and it is a most fitting track to transfer across to the DVD frontier and have all players turn their hands to a touch of amateur (or not ) dramatics. ‘Do Something About It’ is a delight with its 1970’s sitcom opening sequence that briefly ‘do dahs’ into a cosy chorus before a vocal red carpet is lain down to prepare us for a warming chorus that drips talent. By gum these guys know their onions and the lyrical spillage that deals with fickle screw around fuckers and a certain shallowness of character just wins in glorious style. The messages are indeed ambiguous and perhaps I have misread one or two but isn’t that the beauty of the poetical muso-script – make your own interpretations. We move on from one tootling gem to a creeping snippet of cultured perfection known as ‘Rattlesnake’. A hypnotic mood is set before a knee jerking rhythm is bobbed forth. The chorus is nothing short of par excellence and takes place without fluster or hesitancy. The rolling winning formula never lets up and is sanguinely carried through into the equally exciting 'Kite'. The song seems to hint at family break up and has a bit of defiantly frustrated anger in both vocal tone and musical atmosphere. The grooving screw of the guitar that opens instantly surprises and as quickly stops dead and turns into accustomed skank routine with keyed in company. Emotive, tetchy and the most vigorously active offering so far (especially towards the latter end) this again (without sounding repetitive) is a winner.
So we close and a beer is poured (in salute to a darn classy album) and the awe-inspiring tones of churchified sadness begin a final song that hints at a piss-take but comes across as a tragedy. A combination of morals and brewers droop make our hero/zero 'Johnny Come Lately' a figure to smile at and shed a tear for. The tune is just lovely and the 'that's life' approach to everyday niggles is done with pure craft. It is a great climax (ooops pardon the twisted pun Johnny) and closes the final page of a superb chapter in the career of Cartoon Violence.
A plethora of potential is located here and if CV attain the quality of these 9 tracks then they are going to earn some incredible praise and appreciation. One of the finds of the year for Mr Punky Pants here and it will be more than interesting as to what their next release will sound like and what in fact they are like as a 'live' band. The 'bands to see' list just gets bigger.
11:06 PM
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