Silent Daze - Invader

On its excellent debut album, Bulgarian synth-pop duo Silent Daze conceives a sound that's inspired by the '80s yet also quite modern and progressive. Invader is now available digitally from Girlsville, and a physical release on cassette will be out in early 2025. Ketty Marinova and Andrew Anderson (Freak Genes, Proto Idiot) are the formidable talents behind this band. The Cold War vibes and new wave, post-punk, dance-pop, and classic alternative influences are undeniable. But this is no retro trip. Anderson, a favorite of this blog, has long shown a flair for producing music that's original and wonderfully weird but always catchy and hook-laden. He and Marinova are definitely kindred musical spirts, and they have delivered something bold and exceptional with Invader. Yes, this is synth-pop. But it's not trying to sound like any synth-pop band you could name. Instead, there's this vague feeling you'll get from these songs — like you're peering behind The Iron Curtain circa the mid-'80s, but then four decades passed in the blink of an eye, and whatever gloom was in the air intensified to dystopian levels. Invader may take a few listens to fully sink in, but it's well worth your precious time and hard-earned cash.

-L.R.

https://girlsville.bandcamp.com/album/silent-daze-invader

Freak Genes - Power Station

It is interesting that many modern-day "post-punk" bands will maintain a signature sound for years - as opposed to the bands that influenced them that were always evolving at a rapid pace. But then you have Freak Genes, who in less than four years have practically become a whole new band. Power Station, out now on Feel It Records, is already the U.K. duo's fourth LP. The band's growth between 2017's quirky, poppy Playtime and the strikingly synthetic Power Station has been dramatic and impressive. Yet if you listen to all four albums in sequence, you'd have to admit that the progression has been logical. Andrew and Charlie formed Freak Genes in the spirit of experimentation. Together they found a place where oddball songs of theirs that didn't quite make sense for their other musical projects could fit together perfectly. And while Playtime was brilliant, the band could never consider repeating the formula - because there never was one to begin with! And so Andrew and Charlie pushed onwards, gradually creating a musical identity for Freak Genes that's been distinctive yet constantly evolving. With each record, the duo has increasingly experimented with synthesizers, drum machines, and electronic sounds. And that takes us to Power Station, which the band has described as "synthetic pop for problem times". The vibe of this record is a fantastic cross between 154 era Wire, synth-pop circa 1981, and early '80s arcade game sound effects. Everything from the cover art to the album title to the songs themselves screams 1980s retro futurism. And yet this record is more of an update on '80s synth-pop than it is a proper throwback. This is no rehash of the old wave - it's the start of a new one. And after 40 years, I'd say it's about time. 

Andrew and Charlie walk a very fine line on Power Station. On one hand, the album so fully embraces the electronic/synthetic aesthetic that one has to listen very closely for evidence that any "traditional" musical instruments were utilized in its creation. But the success here is that this largely machine-made album is by no means devoid of emotion or humanity. Across their bold and interesting evolution, Freak Genes have remained a pop group through and through. Personality prevails, and the machinery is just the means to an end. These songs still possess honest-to-goodness melodies, which have come into fruition through tremendous creativity and a skillful melding of electronic sounds. This is unquestionably the "darkest" Freak Genes record, which seems completely appropriate at this moment in time. Yet it's far from a fully bleak affair. It still has its "pop" moments ("Chat" has all the basic elements of a "classic" Freak Genes song; "Let's Get To Work" is a snappy little piece of electro-funk; the title track summons the spirit of new wave era Devo). The longer, more sophisticated compositions ("Followed It Down", "Ford Fairlane", "You're Taking Me Over") are something akin to futuristic symphonies. And ultimately, these "deeper" cuts are the ones that have impressed me the most as I've spent more time absorbing Power Station as a whole. As with every successive Freak Genes release, this album is a more cohesive and fully realized creation than the one that preceded it. Given that I am most often inclined to prefer simplicity over invention in popular music, it's somewhat surprising that I am so fond of this album. But perhaps what pleases me is that these two have found a way to experiment with their craft without losing the most essential qualities that make them such a delightful musical duo. They seem to have stumbled upon an artistic path that is limited only by their collective imagination. And so I'll close with one of my go-to reviewer clichés: I can't wait to hear what they do next!

-L.R.  

https://freakgenes.bandcamp.com/album/power-station
https://www.facebook.com/thefreakgenes
https://www.feelitrecordshop.com/collections/feel-it-releases

Proto Idiot - FUB

As I've found myself with much less free time of late due to professional obligations, the frequency of my blog postings has taken a bit of a dive. But in a way, that's been a blessing. As I sometimes have work tasks that do not require full concentration, I've had the opportunity on some occasions to play music while I work. If I've had any regret about the time I've invested in this blog over the last nine and a half years, it's that I don't listen to music for pleasure as much as I used to. I'll listen to something because I want to review it. Then I'll listen to something else for the same reason. And it goes on and on like that, with me rarely finding time to put on a record purely for the sake of enjoying it. On that note, I must remark that I've really been enjoying Proto Idiot's new album lately - purely for the love of the music. Sure, I knew I probably would review it eventually. But I decided to take the time to get to know it first. I made the conscious decision to not take notes or research anything. I just put on the record and dug in. I have gone back to FUB again and again over the last few weeks, and it never fails to please. It's one of my favorite albums of 2020 and a prime example of why I'd call Proto Idiot one of the best independent rock bands going. And at a download price of £7 (equivalent to roughly $9 here in the USA), it would be a fine and affordable addition to anyone's music collection.  

Typical of a Proto Idiot album, FUB doesn't conform to any obvious musical category. I suppose you could call it "post garage punk", but even that doesn't quite suffice. Influences range from psychedelic rock to new wave to synth-pop to art-punk to garage rock to experimental music to timeless British pop. No two songs sound alike. What drives this album is not adherence to a musical style, but rather Andrew, Mike, and Callum's wonderfully creative songwriting and undeniable vocal charms. There are few songwriters better at tapping into the spirit of conventional pop songwriting yet doing so in a completely unconventional way. In many ways, these guys are their generation's Colin Newman or Robyn Hitchcock. Yet it seems that FUB is informed just as much by the likes of Syd Barrett and Ray Davies. It's simply a wonderful record - one featuring remarkable, creative playing; stylistic innovations; and utterly fantastic songs. "Difficult Questions" is about as good of a pop song as anyone's done in 2020. "I Can't Tell You" is like a lost new wave hit from 1980-something. "Well" is wonderfully weird and a tremendously sophisticated composition for a song clocking in at less than a minute. "Mountain" is way out there - even by Proto Idiot standards. "Try To Be Good" is modern indie rock meets Mister Rogers. "I Like the Way You Look At Me" is a foray into country rock that somehow still sounds like quintessential Proto Idiot. Listening to this album is like unpacking the contents of a mystery box loaded with peculiar and surprising items. You're never sure what you're going to get, but every time it's a perfect little delight. Head on over to the Rigmarole Records Bandcamp and discover for yourself!

 

-L.R.

https://rigmarolerecords.bandcamp.com/album/fub

https://www.facebook.com/protoidiot/

Andrew Anderson - Music Album Idea

This is my second day in a row reviewing an album that was inspired by and recorded during COVID-19 quarantine. I can guarantee you there will be more of these reviews to come. When musicians are placed in a position of having to stay at home, what do you think they're going to do? They're going to make music, of course! Sometimes that means writing songs. Sometimes that means performing on live video (and for all of you people who are griping about the current omnipresence of these videos, nobody's forcing you to watch them....so quit your bitching!). Sometimes it means making an entire record and releasing it online. That's what Andrew Anderson (Proto Idiot, Hipshakes, Freak Genes) has done. Music Album Idea is his second solo album in less than five months. He set out to record and release one song every day while under quarantine in Bulgaria. After 11 days, he had himself an album!

I've been an admirer of Andrew's talents for quite a long time, and a project like this really gives me a deeper understanding of who he is as an artist. You might already think of him as an unconventional and rather unique songwriter. But Music Album Idea is far more experimental and idiosyncratic than anything Andrew has done before. I appreciate the spontaneity of coming up with a new song every day and putting it out there permanently. This is so different from the way recording an album usually works: where you write dozens of songs, throw out most of them, and agonize for weeks or even months on every minute detail of the tracks you finally chose to record. I would not necessarily want to listen to every band's "instant album", but I was certainly drawn to this one because I'm a big fan of Andrew Anderson. And Music Album Idea is not your typical COVID-19 concept record. It's more like a journey into the mind of one person living in isolation. Sure, "Living In The Egg" is about how quarantine is like being trapped in...an egg! And Andrew's descent into madness on "Crooked Mile" might be a musical reflection of how a lot of people are feeling right now. But there are lots of little slices of everyday life events as well: noticing the cat outside that comes to stare in the window, learning a new language, watching a documentary on a disappearing village in Bulgaria, and being awed by a mountaintop monument. I love the story behind "Transparent Shelter" - which was made with a Vermona synthesizer that Andrew purchased from a man in Asenovgrad. The man had bought the synth for his son in hopes that he might someday be a musician. Well the kid grew up to be a doctor, and the synth didn't come out of the box until Andrew purchased it. "Transparent Shelter" finds him experimenting with his new toy and recording the results.

Because Music Album Idea is so driven by synthesizers and all the creative possibilities they enable, Andrew Anderson comes off here as not just a songwriter but also a composer. At times, you'll hear echoes of his other bands ("Ten Ten" and "Gotta Move" could probably be Proto Idiot or Freak Genes songs). But for the most part, Andrew goes wherever his mind takes him without any regard for where these songs may fit. I especially like the playful instrumental "Intro" (which Andrew describes as "Steve Reich meets Steve Wright"). I find "Julian" to be an exceptional song - and not just because I love cats. The funky "Gotta Move" ought to be an anthem for these times. And "Monument" has a chilling beauty to it that is probably unprecedented in Andrew's catalog. If you're a fan of Andrew Anderson as I am, I highly recommend Music Album Idea. And be sure to click on the individual song links in Bandcamp. Most of them include pictures that help tell the story of the song!



-L.R.

https://rigmarolerecords.bandcamp.com/album/andrew-anderson-music-album-idea

Andrew Anderson - Clean Yerself

It's always a tremendous pleasure to encounter new music from the creative mind of Andrew Anderson. Clean Yerself is the third album I've reviewed this year that has prominently featured his songwriting talents. It's clear that Andrew is a prolific artist. But it's the quality of his output, not the quantity, that I most admire. Clean Yerself, his new solo effort, is essentially an album that came to be by accident. Andrew had written and recorded a bunch of songs that didn't quite fit his other bands Proto Idiot and Freak Genes. He put those songs on a playlist, gave it a listen, and quickly realized he had himself a solo album. So here we are! If you like Proto Idiot and Freak Genes, you will like this album. If you like eccentric but well-crafted pop songs, you will like this album. If you like synth-pop by way of indie rock, you will like this album.

On this release, you can hear many of Andrew's signature influences come together: the quirky pop of Soft Boys, the punk goes to art school stylings of early Wire, the quintessentially British songwriting of Ray Davies, and the early '80s synth-pop that so clearly informed the most recent Freak Genes album. Clean Yerself is a wonderful little record. It exudes a spirit of experimentalism and playful creativity, yet it also embraces the minimalism of punk rock (average song length is one minute, 49 seconds). This is definitely not an album lacking in catchy pop tunes. The upbeat "It's Not For Me" could not be any more of an earworm. "You Know Me Too Well" sounds like a song Vince Clarke might have written for The Cure 35 years ago. Elsewhere, Andrew plays around with all sorts of intriguing ideas. "Baroque", appropriately enough, sounds like baroque pop on acid. The 20-second burst "You're Too Close" is like hardcore punk with synthesizers. "Uncertain Jazz" is a whimsical and wonderfully weird instrumental. "Cannot Repeat" sounds like a song Andrew might have sneaked into a church in the middle of the night to perform - and yet for all of its quirks, it's beautifully-written and genuinely profound.

Clean Yerself is available as a free download from Rigmarole Records, but don't go dismissing this material as mere odds & ends. These are brilliant songs that fit together remarkably well considering the entirely unplanned nature of this project. It's got to be hard to objective about your own art, but Andrew had the right instincts to hear these songs and know they needed to be an album. I highly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to own this delightful creation for free. In a world that's more divided than ever, getting clean is certainly a cause we can all stand behind.



-L.R.

https://rigmarolerecords.bandcamp.com/album/andrew-anderson-clean-yerself 

Proto Idiot - Find Out For Themselves

My relationship with post-punk music has notoriously been of the love/hate variety. But in the case of Proto Idiot, it's strictly love. A lot of that has to do with the unique sound this Manchester trio has cultivated. It seems almost wrong to even call it post-punk. It might be better to describe it as "poppy new wave post-punk garage rock art", but I suppose that would be a mouthful. Try fitting that onto a promotional sticker! More importantly, my major complaint with most post-punk is that it's just no fun at all. Thankfully, "fun" is probably the first word that I would associate with Proto Idiot. Find Out For Themselves, the band's third album, matches its "angularity" and musical creativity with tremendous humor and a general sense of adventure and playfulness. Give me a post-punk album that has songs you can dance to, and I'm a happy camper! Check out the one-sheet description: "This is music for sophisticated eccentrics who enjoy the finer things in life – the sort of record that a mad and inbred member of the monarchy would relish." I mean, come on! How could you read that and NOT want to hear the record?!

Find Out For Themselves offers more of those "weird in a good way" musical antics that we have come to associate with the highly creative minds of Andrew Anderson, Callum Darley, and Michael Seal. I really get a kick out of a band that can go from the Wire/Gang of Four with Brit-pop leanings vibe of "Sit Back, Relax, Enjoy" right into the bizarro spazz-fest of "Prokel Yokel". And what comes after that? Sing-along synth-pop? Count me in! I like this album because it manages to traverse just about every corner of Proto Idiot's musical universe. "Fill In" is what Fugazi could have been if they had been English and not a terrible bore. "Nothing To It" is a delightful, Devo-ish romp. "Erase/Rewrite/Repeat" is what might have happened if Paul Weller had never formed The Style Council and instead started a groovy post-punk band. If you were at a club or bar or funeral parlor and heard "Find Out For Ourselves", you would absolutely be compelled to get up and dance. Propelled by Michael Seal's nifty bass work, "You're Not Nice" has a snotty energy to it that is nothing short of joyful. And if you're looking for more of Proto Idiot's "typical" poppy/garagey/quirky goodness, "Someone Else" delivers exactly that.

I've been a fan of Proto Idiot for a while, and I must say that Find Out For Themselves is the most complete fulfillment so far of the band's musical vision. It's fully post-modern yet very much steeped in the classic elements of British pop music. It's wonderfully creative yet still excitingly "punky". Basically these three have made an album so good that it has ruined almost all other post-punk for me. Good going!



-L.R.

https://proto-idiot.bandcamp.com/album/find-out-for-themselves 
https://www.facebook.com/protoidiot/ 
https://store.thirduncle.com/ 

Freak Genes - Qwak Qwak

Well that didn't take very long! Less than 10 months after the release of their brilliant debut album Playtime, Freak Genes are back with another long player that will disappoint absolutely no one! Out on Drunken Sailor Records, Qwak Qwak picks up where Playtime left off and quickly surpasses it. The men behind the masks, of course, are Andrew Anderson (The Hipshakes, Proto Idiot) and Charlie Murphy (Red Cords). Freak Genes began with a fun premise: what would happen if these two guys took some of the crazy, rejected ideas from their other groups and made a whole new band out of it? What happened was one of the best punk albums of 2017 or any recent year for that matter. Qwak Qwak still finds Freak Genes straddling the quirky/experimental and poppy sides of early U.K. punk. But the real advancement here is the introduction of synthesizers and drum machines to the duo's arsenal. Limited only by their own imaginations, Andrew and Charlie flutter between punk, new wave, synth-pop, garage rock, and post-punk over the course of 17 filler-free tracks.

If you enjoyed the Wire meets early Buzzcocks vibe that was so prevalent on Playtime, the first two songs "At Odds With You" and "On The TV" will quickly have you on board with Qwak Qwak. The latter is surely one of the most essential punk tracks of the year. But there was no way a band with Freak Genes' origins was ever going to allow itself to become predictable. With this record, you never quite know what's coming. These guys prove so adept at synth-pop that I would absolutely have believed that "Give Way" and "Read The Papers" were original recordings from 1980. "Destroy" sets aside the band's usual playful disposition and goes full-on scary future post-punk. "Layers", on the other hand, is delightful Kinks/Who derived pop that will have you whistling on your way to work. And then there's the wonderful "Talk 2" - which sounds like a song Robyn Hitchcock would write to play at a bar in the Florida Keys.

One spin through Qwak Qwak will suggest influences as disparate as Syd Barrett ("Anonymous"), Gary Numan ("We Want Trouble"), and Devo ("It's Not There"). And there are certainly tracks ("Not Quite Enough", "Drainage") that bring to mind Andrew and Charlie's other bands. What's remarkable is how well the whole thing flows. It's weird to say this about a band that is only on its second record, but the one thing that's consistent throughout 17 tracks is that it all sounds like Freak Genes! These are two extremely talented individuals, and their chemistry is undeniable. Their willingness to entertain almost any musical idea is what makes them unique. Their ability to do so while still aspiring to write great pop songs is what makes them exceptional. I look forward to their next 20 albums!



-L.R.

https://drunkensailorrecords.bandcamp.com/album/qwak-qwak-lp 
http://www.drunkensailorrecords.co.uk/products/615875-freak-genes-qwak-qwak-lp-drunken-sailor-records-drunkensailor-089 
https://www.facebook.com/thefreakgenes/ 
https://www.facebook.com/DrunkenSailorRecords 

Proto Idiot - Leisure Opportunity

My quest to acknowledge the best releases I didn't get around to reviewing in 2017 could last for months if I really went all-out. But if I had that kind of time, I would have already reviewed all of this stuff in the first place! With that in mind, I'm trying to focus on the releases from last year that I'm most embarrassed to have missed. In that category is Leisure Opportunity, the latest album from Manchester, U.K.'s Proto Idiot. It was released in November on Slovenly Recordings, so I suppose this review could qualify as "almost" timely. Proto Idiot features Andrew Anderson of The Hipshakes on guitar and vocals along with Callum Darley (drums) and Michael Seal (bass). Anderson's work in this band allows him to step a little outside of the garage realm and really embrace a fondness for the arty side of '77 Brit-punk and musical strangeness in general. On this album, Anderson again proves himself to be a witty lyricist and a wonderfully playful songwriter. Songs like "Better Way of Life" and "Do It the Same" hit that Wire/Buzzcocks minimalist punk sweet spot, while "What Is My Purpose?" suggests what Devo might have sounded like if they'd been English. I like that "Yes Yes Yes Yes" is super weird yet totally irresistible. And "Angry Vision" is a definite highlight, sounding like a weirdo punk re-write of Vicki Sue Robinson's disco smash "Turn The Beat Around" (yeah, really!).

You may already be familiar with Freak Genes - Andrew Anderson's brilliant collaboration with Charlie Murphy. If you liked the Freak Genes record, you'll dig Leisure Opportunity as well. These "side" projects really show different dimensions of Anderson's musical talent, and that growth seems to be bleeding a little into The Hipshakes' music as well. If you like your punk music full of quirks and distinctively British humor, you're about to discover a real gem!



-L.R.

https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/proto-idiot-leisure-opportunity-lp 
https://www.facebook.com/protoidiot/ 
https://slovenly.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/slovenlyrec/ 

The Hipshakes - "Listening"

Fresh off of touting Andrew Anderson's new band Freak Genes the other day, I am quite pleased to report that there's also a brilliant new Hipshakes 45 just out on the Manchester label Crocodile Records. After 16 years, 4 LPs, and a whole slew of tremendous singles, The Hipshakes require no introduction to any longtime fan of garage punk. "Listening"/"Outside Lines" is the band's second single on Crocodile - one that the label is pitching as a double A-side affair. I suppose the fact that I've chosen to embed the B-side indicates that I'm not about to argue with the label's assertion. You get two legit hits from The Hipshakes here - and I'm indeed torn as to which one I prefer. "Listening" barrels along at a crackling pace and makes me wanna run dance around the room like a maniac. "Outside Lines" comes on with an extended sludgy intro then really takes off just like you'd expect it would. This track is vintage Hipshakes - flirting with full-fledged pop sensibilities but ultimately sounding like the work of a band that above all else just loves to bash it out. Both songs have insightful things to say lyrically, and all in all this single finds one of our finest garage-punk bands at the very top of its game. With only 300 total copies pressed, you better move fast on this one!



-L.R.

https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/492238144
https://www.facebook.com/thehipshakes/
https://www.facebook.com/CrocodileRecs/

Freak Genes - Playtime

For me, the very best thing about writing about music is discovering a new band and falling in love almost instantly. I'm far from an authority on music, and I don't even attempt to write proper reviews. So really my for usual goal for this blog is to get so super-excited about a record that perhaps you'll be persuaded to give it a listen. Today's proverbial shouting from the rooftops concerns Freak Genes, who in less than three weeks have gone from a band I had never heard of to serious contenders for my album of the year honors. 

Sure, I had some indication that I was going to dig Freak Genes before I had even heard a note. Co-conspirators Andrew Anderson (Proto Idiot, The Hipshakes) and Charlie Murphy (Red Cords) are guys I admire and respect for their existing contributions to the world of garage/punk. And Freak Genes' album Playtime has come out on Alien Snatch Records - probably my favorite label of all-time. But Playtime might not exactly be the album you're expecting from this pair. Basically these two decided to take all of the crazy, discarded ideas from their regular bands and make a whole new group out of them. The result is a brilliant fusion of new wave, pop, garage, and minimalist '77 U.K. punk. The beauty of this project is that there was no specific formula or rule book for what the songs needed to be. So you can have everything from Wire/Devo strangeness ("Let's Go Slow") to pure crackling punk ("Exposed") to jaunty psych pop ("Jekyll & Hyde") to new wave garage dance rock ("Going Through the Motions") to something that sounds like Ringo Starr cutting a '70s crossover country track ("Not Alright With Me") all on the same record. And yet everything fits together so splendidly. The album has this general vibe of quirky but really catchy, and these two prove to be remarkably good at writing that type of song. They've really caught fire as Freak Genes - churning out 16 songs here with another full album already in the can. Playtime is one of those albums that just flat-out delights me. It's consistently fun, distinctively British, and quite odd in an entirely good way. Really it all boils down to it just being a terrific album, anchored by standout tracks like the jagged & cheeky "Going Wrong", the poppy lead single "Mind The Gap", and the wonderfully weird "Still Disgusting". I suppose there's a chance that a song or two on here won't click for you. But at a total of 16 tracks, that still leaves you with more than enough gems. And with no song exceeding three minutes and the majority clocking in under two, this does not seem like a "long" album at all. I'm left wanting more - which is certainly a good thing with a second album soon to follow!



-L.R.

https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/freak-genes-playtime 
https://soundcloud.com/freak-genes 
https://www.facebook.com/thefreakgenes/