STRINGY RUGS

Third or fourth album from the craziest Dutch musicians, a few steps ahead of Supersister's quartet of nutcases or even Van Leer's clown-esque musical fantasies. The line-up sees an important change as another nutcase the US-man Dave Kerman (this man escaped the loonies drum and left his footprint all over the Rio-Copacabana sand beaches) and has stolen the drum stool, thus forcing the older Meneses to bow out, cos he refused to play drums standing up. Cool move, Dave. Luvya, man! Actually I'm only kidding because Dave only squats on 7 of the ten tracks, and there are loads of guest, including many horns. As if not enough to convince you of the madness, check out the album title and its visual illustrations on the cover?Imagine that music is rather suited to those, and you've got an idea as to how whacky this might sound and the possible permanent damage to your sanity?

The least we can say is that Kerman's arrival did nothing to calm the other three's zaniness, quite the opposite as the opening Questo picks a few step further than the closing Wire album Or-Na-Ra-Tio track had left things of. The album is much crazier than WSE, but you can still hear Henry Cow and Debile Menthol, but you might have to add Wondeur Brass, Miriodor and Volapuk as aural reference points, but staying more accessible and melodic than Uz Jse Doma. IMHO, the album is at its most inventive in Comunifade, although it gets even more experimental further on, but not necessarily more successful. Sometimes truly mind-boggling, but never insufferable, even though I wouldn't use this album to try to get comfy and promiscuous with the missus. Don't say I didn't warn you about those atypical Dutch un-neo- prog guys.