HAPPY WHAT ELSE

One of the many obscure examples of complex avant-prog that went virtually unnoticed in the small but dedicated fanbase that worships the alter of Thinking Plague, Univers Zero, Art Zoyd and Henry Cow. SCROOGE was formed in Vienna, Austria and existed from 1992 to 1998. The band consisted of Romeo Bissuti (bass), Günther Castanetti (drums), Oliver Stotz (guitar), Regina Ausserwöger (vocals, violin, 1994-98) and Dominik Dusek (guitar, vocals, drums, 1992-94) and released two albums during its brief existence.

HAPPY WHAT ELSE was the debut released in 1995 and features some excellent avant-prog much in the vein of Thinking Plague only with post-punk sensibilities and bravado inspired by bands like Dog Faced Hermans. Add to that elements of chamber rock in the spirit of early Univers Zero and you're in for a real treat of high octane angularities run amok with this outstanding slab of uncompromising experimental rock that features 17 tracks and clocks just over 46 minutes.

What i love about SCROOGE is that they offer a rotisserie of stylistic shifts, tempo changes and time signature barrages that will please anyone familiar with vocal era Henry Cow, Art Bears, News From Babel and most similarly Thinking Plague. The compositions feature those usual vocals-in-opposition where bizarre musical counterpoints and psychotic musical motifs make forbidden processions that exercise the right to rock in a post-punk format while nursing chamber rock violin parts and extended instrumental workouts.

While the avant-prog style won't sound out of the ordinary to those familiar with the aforementioned acts, SCROOGE was clever in how they melded aspects of Dog Faced Hermans with Univers Zero, Henry Cow and Thinking Plague. This album delivers an extremely wild jittery ride through the world of angular weirdness with satisfying results throughout. The track title "Sad And Sick Waltz" describes perfectly what you can expect with this one, namely a dedicated effort to take established musical styles to their outer limits and marry the seemingly incompatible into a monstrous chimera of sonic stimulation.

One of the weirder examples of avant-prog i've come across despite the similarities to other better known bands. Lots of violin string torture here as well as psychotic accordion runs but what i love most about SCROOGE's approach is that they go for the avant-prog jugular taking the sounds of Henry Cow and Art Bears as well as Thinking Plague and adding more dramatic examples of fast tempos and a greater diversity than the average band in this subsection of the prog universe. And some of the guitar parts are beyond bizarre! Truly one for the panheads out there who crave the weirdest of the weird. SCROOGE delivers the goods like the spirit of Christmas.