Scant Regard – You Know The Drill

Pic Dave Cox

If its predecessor, Skipping Over Damaged Area, was an exploration and echo of the “apocalyptic destruction and devolution of the planet we live on”, then You Know The Drill is the bold new adventure in its escape; a sci-fi toned tapestry of intrigue and contagion wrapped in sounds which just infiltrate and enliven the body and imagination.

You Know The Drill is the new creative exploit from Scant Regard, the solo project of Will Crewdson; guitarist/musician/songwriter previously acclaim notorious for his work with Rachel Stamp, Adam Ant, The Selecter, Johnette Napolitano, Bow Wow Wow, and Flesh for Lulu as well as currently one half of the equally irresistible She Made Me Do It. It is an encounter which still sows its seeds in the decay and destruction of the modern world but within its body ventures into the hope and relief brought through space lit, sci-fi cultured escapades. Crewdson’s previous offering, the deviously magnetic Skipping Over Damaged Area, felt like the corruption of hope and light by a creeping darkness. You Know The Drill is the reverse in many ways, bringing light and respite to the sunless breath of the world; both encounters casting trips of sonic poetry and rich intimation drenched in uncompromising infectiousness.

You Know The Drill opens up with Ulterior Motives, electronic pulsing instantly nagging on ears and attention before rhythms collude to pitch immediate contagion upon the senses. In swift time Crewdson’s vocals join the hungry enterprise, the knowing deception of the song’s sarcasm springing greater catchiness by the second before saving its thickest dose of virulence for the delicious throaty bass led groove which breaks out.

The album’s title track follows, blues liquor fuelling its opening flames before a surf kissed breeze courts the controlled but pungent rhythms at its core. As the opener sprung a lure of descriptive intimation in its sound alone so its instrumental successor weaves an even more stirring sonic tale of drama and suggestion to play with before No More follows suit with its shadow wrapped stroll into ears and thoughts. Again every hook carries creative revelation for the imagination to conjure with; the track nurtured in the same suggestive espionage and danger which marked the best themes tunes of sixties and seventies TV shows such as UFO, Space: 1999, The Avengers or The Prisoner.

Its dark temptation is followed by the thickly enticing lures of Projectile Comet, bait which erupts in another of those riveting hooks and grooves which Crewdson has proven so irresistible and diabolical with across the years. The intergalactic hue of the track brings threat and adventure, the concussive rhythms at its heart chased by voracious riffs and intoxicating grooves in a mix which hungrily got under the skin, an infiltration being quickly replicated by the post punk incident that is the outstanding Calamity’s Creation. Bass and guitar unite to project an instant infiltration of theatre and seduction, vocals riding the groove wired hook lined incitement with matching lust bugging enterprise. There is something of The Monochrome Set to the track at times, the scent of Lester Square creative prowess aligning to the inimitable craft and imagination of Crewdson as another momentous moment within the album is cast.

The swarthy southern hues of Nevertheless bring another hug of instrumental suggestion straight after, ears and thoughts united in their swift embrace while both A Process of Illumination and Charmed I’m Sure share thick fascination with their respective electronic web of insinuation and industrial rock incitement, the latter a piece as aggressively imposing as it is mentally manipulating.

Rogue Prototype similarly draws on industrial instincts, its cyber hull the host for pop tempting and dark post punk menace. The track proved pure fascination in its breath and imputation, suspicion and drama soaking every note boiling and erupting in its tempestuous body before leaving Heart Torn Blood Ratio to bring the gripping release to a close. Melancholic beauty and solemn radiance coat every second of the brooding serenade as darker heavier throes of enterprise rumble in its depths; the track an enthralling end to an album which danced with the imagination and provoked eager attention from start to finish with rich pleasure the outcome.

Look up the definition of fascination and you find the likes of captivation, attraction, intrigue, magnetism and obsession as similar meanings and all thickly apply to the also gloriously art wrapped You Know The Drill, Scant Regard’s greatest moment yet.

You Know The Drill is out now digitally and on blue vinyl effect CD @ https://scantregard.com/store and https://scantregard.bandcamp.com/album/you-know-the-drill

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Pete RingMaster 29/02/2020

Mr. Strange – Contact

Feb7

Even with the familiar uniqueness that comes with the Mr. Strange sound each album from the Isle Of Wight band has sought to explore new flavours and a fresh creative character and successfully so to date. That eclectic adventure and imagination was shown in its glory in the band’s 2019 best of album, WTF. Now the UK outfit has their sixth full-length poised to provoke the imagination, evoke the body, and interrupt complacent thoughts; an intent which Contact succeeds in with almost effortless ease.

The brainchild of vocalist/songwriter/keyboardist Mr. (Saul) Strange, the band has not only released some of the most striking and contagious releases over the past decade or two but become one insatiably devoured live proposition. Completed by bassist/guitarist Ant Strange, and drummer Damian Strange, it is this live side which is at the heart of Contact, Mr. Strange wanting to bring its spirit to the album as, in their own words, they wanted to “make a record that actually sounded like a band, rather than a producer with a laptop.” Listening to the album it is clear across its multi-flavoured adventure that the intent found success though organically or instinctively the trademark electronic prowess and theatrical production touch of their fertile imagination still found an eager place. The combination works a treat as from maybe the expected industrial/electro rock which fuelled their previous acclaimed releases the band has launched its uniqueness across a fresh and rich tapestry of new eclectic styles.

The album opens with Alien and the introduction to the arrival of a visitor to this complicated planet but as across the album it is a premise which can be just as firmly translated to any misfit, freak, emotional extra-terrestrial feeling out of place in this world. It is a secretive emergence, a calm glide into view which breaks into a rhythmic stroll before an inimitable Mr. Strange like carousel lit saunter takes over. The narrative of the vocals is soon as magnetic as the sounds lighting its observation, the unsurprising catchiness of the band’s swinging electro meets psych rock incitement infesting ears and body alike.

It is an irresistible start to the release which the album’s following title track taps into just as eagerly. A cinematic sample triggers a sizzling groove across a manipulative surge of rhythms, the song proceeding to grow its web of tempting laced with funk, surf, and glam rock spiced threads, the track a quickly and increasingly contagious affair with keys dancing on the electric wiring and around rousing vocals to escalate the addiction.

Jungle intimating rhythms open up Animals next, tribal and primal instincts escorting our infestation of the natural world as a fusion of King Trigger, Thompson Twins, and Talking Heads essences unite to glorious, enthralling effect though the song is soon eclipsed by the feral rock ‘n’ roll of Piggy. Punk, electro, noise rock all collide in its attitude exhorting roar, the track as predatory as it is seductive within a galvanic roar of sound and voice.

The enthralling Play the Game is next up, another track which almost stalks ears and attention. Its twisted psyche and fuzzy breath is lit up by Mr. Strange’s vocal prowess and a surrounding harmonic elegance, dark and light colluding in the embrace of shadow wrapped self-reflection while Rumours steps in with an Oingo Boingo crossed with Marilyn Manson swing which breeds an only richer and broader tapestry of flavours and enterprise. Both tracks were under the skin in no time, their unpredictability as potent as their eclectic weave of sounds though again two great tracks found themselves outdone by a third as Paralysed stomped in with bold tenacious beats and rapacious riffs while a ragtime nurtured piano teases. It proved intoxication as thick as the call at the heart of its lyrical declaration, the album continuing to hit pinnacle after pinnacle.

The Pursuit of Something Better emerges next as sinister as it is irresistible; guitar and synth joining together in pure temptation as vocals add their similarly potent coaxing. With a breath akin to something like Wall Of Voodoo meeting Gary Numan in the shadow of Skinny Puppy, it is haunting arousal which also applies to its successor Southbound for different reasons. A slice of classic meets desert rock with a Queens of the Stone Age instinct, the track is a heavily stepping, creative limb swinging incitement again impossible not to boisterously participate in.

Both To The Center and Finale make for captivating proposals, the first a melancholy scented dark psychedelia lit croon which becomes more robust and fiery by the minute; its subsequent gripping declaration imposing and dramatic while its successor offers a tantalising and sublimely alluring ballad as crystalline as it is again melancholy coloured, and unapologetically infectious.

Contact concludes with Hello! (Epilogue), a grinning piece of creative kindling with a great ICP meets 12 Stone Toddler mischievousness to it that as, its predecessors, had the body swaying and appetite licking greedy lips.

As most of their albums, Mr. Strange had us hooked from the off with Contact only seeing us more hungrily dancing to its tune thereon in but it is a whole new beast from the band and even with those references to give you a clue is as unique as anything you are going to find out there, as contagious, and quite likely as irresistible.

Contact is released February 14^th with pre-ordering available now @ https://mrstrange.bandcamp.com/album/contact

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Pete RingMaster 06/02/2020

Flesh Tetris – High Score

Feb6

We left checking out last year’s debut album from UK outfit Flesh Tetris by declaring it “a tonic for the musically curious, a rousing reward for the bold.” It was an adventure with the band’s unique sound and creative devilry which offered a big boisterous treat for all dipping into their enthralling world. High Score is the band’s new EP, a trio of tracks which exploits the ripe mischief and temptation at play within that full-length, Wrong Kind of Adults, and soaks it with a fresh dose of enterprise and flavouring demanding attention.

Once more the ingredients to the Flash Tetris sound are as potent and captivating individually as they are united. The double vocal dynamics of Eva Menon (Cauldronated) and Andy Heintz (The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing) are a fusion of tease and attitude, a mix echoing their lyrical revelry while the tapestries of hook loaded melodic and electro enterprise woven by bassist/guitarist Andy Duke (Top Buzzer/The Duel/Cauldronated) and keyboardist/vocalist Karen Bell provide the springboard for lost inhibitions. It is an incitement for body and imagination driven by the manipulative rhythms of drummer Jez Miller (The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing), the quartet a creative devil which as we have found before quickly had us dancing to its tune within High Score.

Though their inimitable fusion of electro rock, punk, and alt pop stands well aside of anything else there is a certain Rezillos-esque character to Flesh Tetris especially suggested by their new EP. Their sounds are wide apart but the hook swinging contagion they conjure and the massive grin carrying mischief they spring in enterprise and fun has a close connection to Scotland’s legends.

High Score opens up with A.I. and immediately has vocal chords indulged through the song’s own call before leaping into its infection loaded stroll. Heintz and Menon entangle their individual antics with that ever present devilment to the fore, their united rousing of ears joined by Bell’s equally bewitching tones. Unsurprisingly to Flash Tetris fans, things only twist and warp as the track evolves, Bell’s theremin prowess as magnetic as the unpredictable throes of the song on its way to erupting in a virulent contagion of a chorus.

Already a new richness in sound and writing is evident, the song a fully rounded encounter with all the creative fiction and daring rascality we have come to expect from their music. The following Schadenfreude is a potent echo of the fact, its body a swinging pop rock holler built on wiry grooves, melodic trickery and across the band vocal fertility. As Miller’s beats wield their air puncturing dexterity Bell’s keys weave a radiance which envelops the passions as much as the sonic agility of Duke.

Three In A Cubicle concludes the romp, the track sauntering with an imperious groove as the band observe or recall “seedy goings on in a nightclub lavatory.” Even in its relatively controlled gait there is a feral quality to the song with aligns perfectly with its melodic dexterity and inescapable catchiness. There is also a great seventies power pop scent to its buoyant breath which got under the skin as easily as the song’s many other infectious aspects.

Infection is indeed the most apt way to describe Flesh Tetris’ music, one we hope to never shake off though with releases like the delicious High Score that is not going to happen any time soon.

The High Score EP has its launch on February 15^th at The Dublin Castle, Camden.

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Pete RingMaster 05/02/2020

Cabinet of Millionaires vs Zion Train – Stop The Coup

Jan14

As the UK once again went to vote for the next misstep in the country’s political direction, Huddersfield hailing electronic act Cabinet of Millionaires unleashed another of their ear and thought grabbing incitements in the shape of the Stop The Coup EP. It presents a trio of politically-charged tracks centred around the bands lead original assault on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s campaign for re-election.

Stop The Coup is also the first Cabinet of Millionaires actual artist collaboration, the band linking up with acclaimed dub act Zion Train on the original, known as the Pfeffel Mix, which opens up the release. Embracing potent provocative samples shaping the suitability of and attack on the PM, the track is an electronic stroll embracing thought, opinion, and instinctive incitement. Its inherent catchiness is as ripe too just as the rebellious nature of its voice, each as honest as they are direct, defiant and inviting.

Just as powerful remixes provide the other pair of tracks within the EP, the first from Bristol-based Acid House Therapy a tension fuelled kaleidoscopic take as invasive as it is dramatically compelling with all its twists and hall of mirror like aspects.

The final track is a rock enforced stomp provided by Leeds club night promoter, DJ and producer Mikk Stupp. Funk bound, rock driven, the final version of Stop The Coup is a voracious, verging on the barbarous, electro rock incitement pouncing on ears, the senses, and its protagonist with creative agility.

As another critical moment in UK political history was upon us Cabinet of Millionaires provided another momentous to mark and challenge it. The Stop The Coup EP is the band and its allies at their best, a reason alone to share one’s voice.

The Stop The Coup EP is available through Chocolate Fireguard Records now @ https://cabinetofmillionaires.bandcamp.com/album/stop-the-coup

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Pete RingMaster 14/01/2020

Watch Clark – Couch

Oct18

photo by Christy Wiseman

The sound of Watch Clark is suggested as being akin to the Seattle indie goth/industrial scene of the early 2000’s but definitely there is also an eighties synth pop inspiration which richly flavours its imagination. It is a fusion which goes to make new album, Couch, one ear grabbing and imagination slab of contagion and very easy to recommend to all electronica embracing ears.

Watch Clark is the solo project of Seattle based musician Paul Furio, a former member of Static Engine and SMP. Founded in 2012, Watch Clark released debut album Perfect Imitation the following year with its well-received successor, First Week of Winter unveiled in 2017. Produced, mixed and mastered by Kasson Crooker (Freezepop, Symbion Project, ELYXR), Couch is the striking successor very easy to see pushing Watch Clark into a far bigger spotlight.

A collection of songs themed by a reflection on relationship, political, and life turmoil, Couch immediately had ears and appetite hooked with opener Misery. The blooming of keys and heavy pulse of rhythmic enticement openly wears a Depeche Mode influence but as swiftly the track reveals its own individual character around the magnetic tones of Furio. Industrial dissonance breaks upon the melodic landscape throughout to escalate the potency of drama within the unapologetically catchy and rousing affair.

The outstanding start to the release is matched by the infectious body and swing of the following Class Actress. Like a blend of B Movie romanticism with Kudzu post punk shadows within a Visage-esque croon, the track like its predecessor is pure contagiousness, its instinctive bounce manna to appetite and body before The Sound of Robots Pooping parades its industrial nurtured dance. As dystopian in breath as it is warmly infectious, the predominately instrumental track proved as much a spark for the imagination as an incitement for hips.

Diversity is a potent trait within Couch and potently shows its creative worth with next up Tansfläch, the track an electro industrial incitement bearing the Neue Deutsche Welle tempting of a D.A.F. alongside the cold wave theatre of a Kraftwerk, while The Darkest Place adds its own individual new wave lined proposal in the varied mix with contagious appetite and dexterity. In voice and sound, Furio lights up ears and speaker with a virulent touch which is hard to ignore in movement let alone pleasure.

The following Cross the Chasm has compelling darkness in its heart and touch which only accentuates its bold almost invasive yet haunting quality while The Act of Wanting offers a flirtatious slice of electro rock which again has energies and limbs hooked like a puppeteer across its purposeful stroll. Each again only adds further sides to the varied electronic prism of the album which Math Grenade emulates with its teutonic breath upon industrial dissonance. Again dystopian hues explore thoughts from within the dark infection and once more Watch Clark had attention glued before the equally arousing Get to Win added its particular electro punk grip on ears.

Featuring a vocal duet with Lark Remy in its haunting sigh, Weakness made for easy captivation. Though the sounds around them only hugged satisfaction it was the vocal prowess of Furio and Remy which most seduced and the way the production alternated between moments when each voice has slight dominance in their union.

Completed by the dark infested instrumental of The Cup of Bitter Fate and the melancholy soaked balladry of Choose, two tracks which lingered to haunt the imagination once sharing their final breaths, Couch is an album which provides a rousing fusion of nostalgia and new imagination which as mentioned earlier can only be suggested as a definite exploration for all with a taste for electronic pleasure.

Couch is out now; available @ https://watchclark.bandcamp.com/album/couch

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Pete RingMaster 15/10/2019

MiXE1 – Reflections

Jul23

Like so many bands, British trio MiXE1 has teased and taunted rich attention with a host of ear grabbing encounters but have yet to fully ignite the sparks set through those imaginative success deserving releases. It is easy though to suggest and expect that break through with the band’s new album Reflections; a collection of striking tracks combining to create their finest most striking moment yet.

From a solo project created in 2010 by Mike Evans (Vocals, Synths), MiXE1 has grown into a formidable creative proposition with the addition of Lee Towson (Guitars, Live Bass, Synths, Vocals) and Lee O’Brien (Drums, Synths, Samples). Similarly their sound has evolved and blossomed across EPs and a well-received debut album as electronic adventure has increasingly aligned with alternative and rapacious rock tenacity. As Reflections shows, it is music and imagination which continues to explore and discover greater depths; the new album embracing a broader canvas of sound as the snarl of metal, boisterousness of pop, and epic rock enterprise all collude with the band’s already established creative instincts.

With the release also seeing the band joined by a host of guests across its increasingly magnetic body, Reflections opens up with its title track, the song looming in from an instantly busy distance on a tide of synth and guitar to swiftly establish an inescapably tempestuous and gripping lure. Evans’ vocal roar carries a similarly ferocious edge, attitude still lining the melodic prowess which soon springs from his throat amidst the compelling storm. With hungry hooks and fiery melodies igniting the multi-flavoured and easily devoured trespass, the song continued to nag, enthral, and incite.

The following Get Out Alive rises with a similar recipe of flavours but quickly sets out its individual character woven on melody, aggression, and eager imagination. As its predecessor, its infectious breath and moves are at odds with but the perfect companion to raw ferocity; again a union which attacks and seduces within a stirring tapestry of sound and texture.

Though released a couple of years back, Don’t Break Apart could be described as the lead single of the album and has lost none of its potency over time. In many ways the moment the band’s sound marked its latest evolution with its earlier release, its potential has been fully realised across the album and still fires up the appetite as it builds on its pulsating electronic start to cast sonic virulence upon the senses. Gentle caresses lead to inflamed eruptions and compelling melodic intimation builds to dark and rapacious incitement, the track pure magnetic and intimate drama only elevated by the additional contributions of Lawrie Bayldon (Studio-X) on synths and Erlend Eilertsen (Essence of Mind) alongside Richard K (Machine Rox) on vocals.

The rousing Spectrum is next up, immediately casting a melodic web with metallic strands around a robust rhythmic canter, the track a voracious mix of pop catchiness and electro shadows all toned with flirtatious temptation while successor, the equally irresistible Align revels in vociferous industrial instincts to create its very own contagious incitement. There is a great irritable edge to the electro rock based outing, antagonism soaked in melodic tempting reminding of former UK band Ghost In The Static.

From a dystopian atmosphere Nexus steps forward next, the track another with an industrial rock breeding embracing and employing a wealth of electro and rock strands to cast its magnetic web. Rabbit Junk’s JP Anderson joins Evans on vocals, his raw antipathy a tantalising companion to the more flirtatious harmonic tones of MiXE1’s frontman. Yet again ears were gripped and vocal chords incited with Fall straight after thrusting its rapacious rock ‘n’ roll upon the senses to similarly take control of body and attention with increasing rewards if ultimately only teasing the heights of the previous tracks. Still though, it just captivated before Monochrome with Roman Marisak (Professional Murder Music, Spacetime) guesting on vocals provides the darkest and most corrosive moments of the release whilst forging another of the album’s striking propositions in sound and enterprise revealing richer depths by the listen.

Yet one more major highlight comes with next up Creations, the song casting an atmospheric suggestiveness from which emotive and melodic imagination blossom their radiance. At its volatile heart is the vocal coupling of Evans and Natasha Cox (Mankind Is Obsolete, AL1CE, Alice Underground), both pure enticement and the latter simply mesmeric within a climate which simmers, seduces, and subsequently erupts with physical and emotional turbulence.

The final pair of Authors and Quasar ensure the album’s close is as stirring and impressive as what came before; the first an eager slice of electro rock as anthemically infectious as it is intimately heart bred while the latter takes the listener across an ethereal landscape before taking a spatial flight enriched with celestial harmonics and spirit raising dynamics. It is a glorious and imaginative finale exposing yet another aspect in the creative kaleidoscope of MiXE1.

The Hertfordshire band has never been a stranger to providing striking and seriously enjoyable encounters but Reflections simply eclipses all that has come before so surely the time is ripe for MiXE1 to be embroiled in the attention and success their music if not before now definitely deserves.

Reflections is out August 9^th with pre-ordering available now @ https://mixe1.bandcamp.com/album/reflections

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Pete RingMaster 23/07/2019

Mr. Strange – WTF

Apr2

As the world, whilst strolling along the path to self-destruction, becomes more and more fuelled by chaos, dissonance and bigotry, so rises up dissenting voices and alternative fractions in all walks of life. UK hailing outfit Mr. Strange is one such proposition, a band which vaunts the alternative and freak show of life with a sound just as bold, brazen, and bare-faced celebratory and in full and irresistible chorus within new album WTF.

A 3-piece electro-rock outfit from the Isle of Wight, Mr. Strange began in 2006, a creative offshoot to the criminally unrecognised but glorious cult circus/steampunk-rock band, The Shanklin Freak Show which was led by vocalist/songwriter Mr. (Saul) Strange. With a handful of studio albums under the belt bookending TSFS, Mr. Strange became a rousing live proposition out of the former’s demise. We find ourselves among a vast flock already hooked and compelled by the creative parade escaping the talents of all members over the years so as a best of album WTF was only going to have the body bouncing and spirit racing. Featuring 20 “fan favourites and live staples” including many updated and revamped, the album is a summing up of past glories and the doorway to a trepid new adventure; quite simply the perfect introduction and invitation to the multi-styled electro rock escapades of Saul Strange, bassist/guitarist Ant Strange, and live drummer Damian Strange.

For existing fans of the band there will be a strong tinge of sadness listening to WTF as so many of its tracks feature the work of Gary ‘Stench’ Mason, an accomplished and creatively potent guitarist as well as a true gentleman and friend sadly no longer with us. The album is as much a legacy and celebration of his craft as the band’s voracious sound and Saul’s manipulatively skilled songwriting and it sets out a massive lure from the off with Wonderful World of Weird. It is a truly magnetic summoning, getting under the skin from its initial hum before leading the body on a rousing swing thereon in as it marches into the hectic imagination and prowl of the band’s kaleidoscopic musical.

It’s quirky flirtation and bidding is matched by that of the following Carousel, a track bridging the antics of The Shanklin Freak Show and Mr. Strange with nagging boisterousness. Its dark circus is the obverse shade to the mischievous tone of its predecessor, a like-minded but heavier, caliginous counter-part just as devious in its lure of body and vocal chords before the same kind of full captivation is repeated through the electro sizzle of Disco Bitch.

As Brain Dead Boogie greedily infests limbs with its skilfully frantic rock ‘n’ roll and Clockwork Man lays its own haunting bait and grip on ears and imagination, it is already hard to imagine many resisting the album’s devilish cure; even more so as the latter’s sinister metronomic crawl shares a subservient body with the shameless declaration and electro dance of I Like Girls…, it yet another inescapable musical voluptuary.

Twisted Family brings the freaks all together in its Tartarean gathering next, again sharing a celebration of the aberrance in man swiftly prowled by the predacious Lizard Man 3.0 which immediately sets about weeding out the wonder rich anomalous from the corrupted inflexible. Both tracks are bred in the circus rock of TSFS but evolved to greater calls with the ever exploratory prowess of the Mr. Strange sound, the second especially blossoming into a fresh thrilling beast.

From album to album Mr. Strange has explored individual directions and distinct flavours, each unique to another but as proven across WTF any song sit easily amongst each other no matter their breeding as shown by the seamless way the disco pop of Addiction nestles against the ravening exploits of the previous pair and the surf ‘n’ roll of the exceptional Psycho Surfing a Go-Go,. One of our all-time Strange anthems, the track is pure addiction, a compulsive stomp woven on the purest essences of rock ‘n roll and all its deviancies.

In turn the rapaciously creeping psychotic saunter of Anti-Light lends its tenebrific lures to the coquettish shadows and reflection of the band’s cover of the Pet Shop Boy’s It’s A Sin which then lies comfortably against the untamed serenade of Music Box. All three feed the diversity and untypical prowess of the release, the middle track, which its creators never quite had us hooked with, finding a whole new level of persuasion.

Deviant Ritual is another song which became a major infestation within the Electric Pornography album and stands a major incitement within WTF, its mutant electro waltz pure slavery not too distantly matched through the iniquitous ramble of Sodom Nights featuring the vocal charms of Bridget Gray and immediately after courtesy of the eerily atmospheric, Stygian beauty clad Playground Twist, this another essential offering from the Mr. Strange songbook. It is one of four songs which are exclusive to the download version of the album and as much as a physical copy is forcibly recommended you do not want to miss out of any of the quartet either.

Through the body using swing of Exile and the similar electronic exploitation uncaged by Villain, participation and pleasure drips lust and even more profusely for the album’s previously unreleased track, an insatiably rousing merger of Dead Or Alive’s Spin Me Round and the band’s own just as tenaciously vampy Do It Like Pete Burns.

The glorious celebration of Mr. Strange concludes with the duskily wistful and radiantly mesmeric There’s Consequences, a final slice of instinctive temptation. WTF provides all the evidence needed to declare songwriter and band one of the truly fresh and exciting trespasses on the senses and imagination around. It does breed slight disappointment as other tracks like the truly wonderful Jonathan and the seriously anthemic Fire were not included but that is just down to personal favourites of which we will all have plenty we could easily add to all the deserving proposals within WTF.

There are some bands which are almost guaranteed to enthral and recruit just given the chance, Mr. Strange is one and here to provide the perfect doorway to their unique spectacle of unquenchable goodness is WTF, you just have to enter through its threshold.

WTF is available now across most stores. For more info and Mr. Strange check out…