An absolutely blistering record.
An absolutely blistering record.
http://www.archiebronsonoutfit.net http://www.dominorecordco.com http://wwwmunichrecords.com
Waagh! The Archies! Even more exciting is that this record delivers in spades. What is immediately noticeable is that the band has added a richness and lustre to their sound. They still trade in one-chord wig-outs, but this record always makes you feel that there’s a well-oiled machine at work. Right from opener Magnetic Warrior, you can sense the groove. It’s a dense, all-encompassing trip that they’re on, make no mistake.
The Archie Bronson Outfit always had a mysterious, other-worldy vibe to them, which often runs contrary to what’s going on elsewhere in the giddy World of Pop. On Coconut this is still very apparent, though you get the feeling that they’ve enjoyed pretending to be a dance-pop band, as if for once they fancied wearing white tie and tails in order to show their less vapid cousins how to cut some rug. Shark’s Tooth nabs Peter Hooks minimal bass licks and creates a perfectly respectable mid tempo stroll down Tin Pan Alley. Hoola is MTV AOR guitar rawk par excellence; like Garbage only put through the ABO trademark blender. It’s possibly weirder than any self-professed weird/leftfield record this year in that it’s sustained by psychotic attitude alone (and informed by what reminds me of Porcupine-era Will Sergeant guitar riffery). Chunk is a weird hybrid of chiming guitars and yowling: it’s very like Magazine or a Bunnymen demo circa 1982.
Fans of the band’s more unhinged moments will certainly enjoy Wild Strawberries, and Right to A Mountain Life which are from that Hawkwind live tape you’ve been looking for down the back of the sofa. Right to A Mountain Life and Harness have a touch of the Amon Düül 2’s about them too, especially if you’re a fan of the freak-outs on Yeti. A hint of reflection is brought with One Up On Yourself, which is a slow pop song of sorts and Hunt You Down is a lovely reflective track, slightly obsessive, slightly messy, but that’s also fine by me. Everything ends with the happy-clappy Run Gospel Singer, though – as with all ABO recordings, you can’t quite trust your first impressions
An absolutely blistering record.