Von Sudenfed's debut album is the culmination of a meeting of minds between Mouse On Mars' Andi Toma and Jan St. Werner and rock curmudgeon, Mark E. Smith. In fact, it's less meeting of minds, more recorded argument. MES hasn't sounded this disjointed and fiery in many a year and Toma and St. Werner's futureshock beats and bleeps have a way of making the whole affair sound like they're trying to put the musical restraints on Smith, but all the while he's kicking, screaming, biting and refusing to be sedated.
This brings forth an uncompromising, noisy record that, at its heart would like to be a pop album. Neither Mark E. Smith nor Mouse On Mars do 'pop' particularly well, but it's a hell of a lot of fun listening to them try. On album opener, 'Fledermaus Can't Get It', Smith spits increasingly venomous vitriol atop splenetic, fuzzed out breaks and buzzing, ravey synth noise. They then follow this up with 'The Rhinohead', the album's most immediate track, owing more than a little debt to Northern Soul music. It's less homage than blitzkrieging air raid on Wigan Casino however, with Smith and MOM obliterating the bennied-up twisters from above while snarling and cackling.
It doesn't all work though, 'Chicken Yiamas' is virtually unlistenable and 'Jbak Lois Lane' (essentially just Smith shouting at someone while a lawnmower buzzes away in the background) feels more like a prank on the listener. When it hits though, it throws up some of the most exciting musical moments of the year so far, as on the sub-bass-laden grime of 'Flooded' or the disco inflections of 'That Sound Wiped'. An adventurous hook-up that manages to be brilliant against all odds.
http://www.highvoltage.org.uk/displaydemoreview.asp?num=2682&band=1759
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