CONCENTRATION FACE/HOMEBOY

My musical path owes a lot to the Belgian Mediathèque, which for a fairly modest price, allows you to take plenty of chances trying out some rather obscure stuff without having really had much info about the given "artistes". And on goes the surprises (good or bad) in the discovery path to my musical nirvana. But once in a while, you fall on an absolutely atrocious album/group that dampens your spirit, because beyond the first two minutes of initial interest because of their unusual act, some groups go on with the sole idea for a whole album and more, which you'll agree is a little to few and the understatement of the decade when looking at such an album as this one. I dare not look at this group's full output, because no doubt this duo has been at it for a while, because this release comes with a DVD of their Japan tours. which Japan is probably one of the rare country on this planet where they could actually tour (this means playing more than two concert in the same week in different cities), because only a certain kind of Japan nihilist crowd (most of them are poseurs anyway) is able to sustain more than a few minutes of this extremely apocalyptic noise (it's hard to really call it something else, even if this is also music in some ways). We are not still in full Flying Luttenbachers territory, even if the guitar-drum duo is doing its best to be as obtuse as FL, but ultimately fall very short, but not for the sake of trying. Somehow these guys think of themselves as the new Damian Ché and Edwards- Doyle, but don't come to waist level of Don Caballero.

In either case, Hella is one twisted, deranged act, which inspires me only a vague puzzlement, that will probably never go beyond the question: who the hell would really want to own such an obtuse and nihilist drivel? Apart from wanting to give yourself a hardcore stance, and opting to for a voluntarily lonely life, accompanied no doubt by semi- lethal substances abuse, no-one in their right mind would actually play this past the two initial spins: the second to confirm you actually did not miss out on something the first time around. And once you got your confirmation, you'll close the case and think that maybe the insufferable Celine Dion has found somebody more annoying than her. I'm not saying that the duo are not good musicians, but sometimes (most of the time) their aural diarrhea is getting on one's nerves. For geeks and poseurs only, really!!!

Homeboy is an EP and Concentration Face is a DVD of Hella live. This review is only about an EP, haven't seen DVD yet

4,2/5 Those hwo are not familiar with avant-garde music will say that this is not music as they always say about anything really experimental. But those who have already heard Hella before won't be too surprised with this album. However Homeboy really stands out from all other Hella's albums. If I would usually describe Hella's style as experimental math-rock, here it's more noise rock. They went further than usually. It's like you take everything original about Hella's music and multiple it by two. Much more complicated melodies, more instruments playing at the same time and no parts of songs are repeated. Compared to this, "Hold your horse is" seems a bit like pop rock. The sound is pretty much usual, guitar and drums dominated and a little taste of Nintendo sound in Madonna Aproaches R&B Blonde Wreckages. All in all, strong concept album, one of the best by Hella in my opinion.

Ratings for songs : 1. Gothspel For You Not Them - 3/5 2. Madonna Approaches R&B Blonde Wreckages - 5/5 3. BC But Not Before Christ - 4/5 4. If I Were In Hella I Would Eat Lick - 4/5