Ergo Phizmiz
– The Peacock (Care In The Community Recordings)
LP/DL
Out Now
Walking
encyclopaedia, Ergo Phizmiz releases his third album.
I have a
pair of Ethletic trainers in the wardrobe.
They're red. I'm convinced I can
hear the voices of The Kinks, Ringo Starr and Divine Comedy coming from
inside. Maybe it's just my brains. Maybe Ergo Phizmiz has taken up residency.
To be fair,
The Peacock sounds like it could have been recorded in a shoe box. To be fair again, that's not an insult, just
an observation. The sound of Ergo’s
guitar is almost monotone, and his voice is flat, sometimes slightly muffled
and often with the backing of himself in another tone. It’s all very clever stuff. He’s been described as a musical genius in
some quarters, and whilst that’s quite a bold statement it is understandable.
The album
opener and title track sets the tone with a Middle Ages feel. An ode to the life of the peacock with some
rather superb rhyming couplets from the man who seems to have swallowed a
thesaurus. "Every single bloody question,
becomes a very strange suggestion”.
The
whole album is a more laid back affair to previous releases, this time round
relying on those brilliant lyrics and beautiful strumming. The Tinker Song however, is upbeat as
percussion is played on the inside of the aforementioned shoebox lid.
Open
Artery Surgery sounds like it could be a Divine Comedy outtake, in fact the
voice of Phizmiz even has similarities to Neil Hannon himself. The form of the song is also from that
repertoire which is no bad thing and it surely an influence.
Repetitive
semi-clockwork backing to the wonderfully titled Hyenas In The Hallway could be
lifted from any number of 60s alternative folk/pop efforts mixed with some
Goldfrapp circa Felt Mountain.
All
Fall Down is infectious and album closer The Flying House even has an acoustic
rockabilly feel.
It’s
a clever and entertaining album with warrants several listens, I am living
proof, and each time it gets better and better as previously unheard snippets
are noticed for the first time.
8.5/10
Links
Care In The Community Recordings
Ergo Phizmiz website
Ergo Phizmiz on Twitter
Goldfrapp on hiapop Blog
Published on Louder Than War 25/06/14 - here
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