the scaraMANGA SIX - CABIN FEVER
THE RETURN OF THE BEST DARK MACABRE POP BAND IN BRITAIN.
THIS IS THE BANDS FULLY FLEDGED SECOND ALBUM, FEATURING TIM 'CARDIACS' SMITH ON PRODUCTION DUTIES THE GANG HAVE COME TO TERMS WITH THEIR OUTSIDER STATUS AND HAVE DECIDED TO REVEL IN THEIR BOMBASTIC OVERLOADING OF NOISE AND MELODY. IN FACT, PRIOR TO GETTING THE VERSION THAT I'M CURRENTLY BLASTING ON THE KITCHEN BOOMBOX, THERE WAS AN OVERLY DISTORTED VERSION OF THE ALBUM, WHICH UPON RECEIPT WAS PLAYED 4 TIMES IN A ROW BACK TO BACK WITHout STOPPING FOR BREATHE. I originally THOUGHT THE DISTORTION WAS REQUIRED AND DESIRED. BUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE BAND DIDN'T QUITE WANT TO CAUSE THAT MUCH PAIN AND UPSET sO TONED DOWN THE EXCESS. SLIGHTLY.
BEFORE THE DISC EVEN GETS UP TO SPEED THE STANDOUT COVER ART NEEDS TO BE GIVEN A MENTION - 3D ENHANCED BLOOD DRIPS DOWN THE COVER WITH THE MANIC LETTERING 'CABIN FEVER' - ALL IN BLACK/WHITE AND TROUBLESOME RED. THE LETTERING IS USED THROUGHOUT THE TRACKLISTING - GIVING THE APPEARANCE THAT THEY WERE WRITTEN PRIOR TO SOME RATHER NASTY RITUAL OF LIVE NOISEMAKING. AND WHAT A TRACK LISTING ! CHECK THE TITLES ('the poison pen', 'the coward', 'smite my face', 'horrible face'), THE NAMES OF THE SONGS CONTINUE THE EVIL VIBE. MAKING THE WHOLE THING COME OVER AS SOME KIND OF TWISTED POP CONCEPT ALBUM.
AND SO TO THE ALBUM ..
LUCKILY THE MUSIC WITHIN LIVES UP THESE BUILT UP EXPECTATIONS. 45 MINUTES OF PUMPED UP BASS LINES, FUCKED UP SCI-FI NOISES, HAMMOND ORGAN EXCESS, AND CHIMES AND BELLS FROM HELL, ALL WRAPPED UP WITH PAUL'S FANTASTIC FORCEFUL FULL AND POWERFUL VOCALS DECLARING WAR ON ALL BED WETTING INDIE POP. FOR THE OPENING 5 TRACKS, THE ALBUM DOESN'T LET GO OF THE JUGULAR ONCE WITH EVERY TRACK FEATURING A CLASSIC STRANGLERS STYLE BASS LINE AND PUNKED UP VIBE. THEN COMES THE FIRST LEFT HAND TURN WITH 'UNCLEAN' WHICH ADDS DOO WOP BACKING VOCALS TO THE SWAMPY vibe, the song is not quite as insistent and is a required taste, however this is followed by the wonderful 'a song for you' which follows the same type of instrumental build up before letting the natural anger loose, cos when this band hit their stride there is simply nothing that comes close to the sheer power of the scaramanga six. a lot of this attraction is in the vocals - paul has really come to realise the range he contains within his throat and producer tim smith has refined (not softened at all- but refined !) the edges to a masterful level - tightening the sonics up to an intense degree, something that the first album missed.
i could go on and on about my sheer love of this album, instead i think i will just have to admit that it's been a long long time since i sang/shouted/laughed ('where did you get that horrible face ..') along to an album as much as this one. i will admit that the 'six ain't for everyone, and for many the band are probably just too much to take, as their mock-schlock horror tactics in the lyrics, the sheer over indulgence in the bombastic layers, the lack of any subtle nuances as everything is strapped onto the max, and they may indeed dip into far to many pop references so they cannot be easily filed in the genres listings - but f*ck them.
i love this band. simple as that. and this is the album i wanted them to make. in every respect.
extra extra
interview - paul on the concepts of the bands
interview - steve on the directions and hopes for wrath records