Various Artists - "10 Years Of Slutfish Records"
(Slutfish Records 2003, SLUT 044)
Various Artists - "10 Years Of Slutfish Records"
(Slutfish Records 2003, SLUT 044)
Uploaded to Aural Innovations: December 2003
To say that Slutfish Records has been putting out uncompromising music for the past 10 years would indeed be an understatement. Run by Billy Syndrome & Evil Jim Friendly as a vehicle for their various projects as well as those of others, Slutfish has cranked out heaps upon heaps of ultra cool rock music, usually somewhere on the psychedelic space-time continuum. The 10 Years Of Slutfish Records compilation is not a mere collection of tracks from Slutfish albums. In addition to album favorites it also includes singles never before released on CD and music that is exclusive to this set. Here's the rundown...
"Bouncy Bouncy" by Dani is Slutfish's idea of targeting the kids martket. And it may come as no surprise that their idea of teen rock includes tripped out space electronics. The song is pretty hysterical too.
In this issue we reviewed the Slutfish reissue of 1980's music by Porcelain gOD. But the trio (Billy Syndrome, Evil Jim, The Eggman) entered the studio in 2003 for the first time in 16 years, the two resulting songs being included on this collection. "The Coughing Man" probably couldn't have been titled anything else... nuff said. And "Train To Nowhere" is a very cool spacey robotic pop tune that I liked. A damn good song.
The Wylde Mustangs contribute "You Can't Tie A Mustang Down", which the promo sheet says is an unreleased Monkees song. It sure sounds like it could be a Monkees tune.
There's a track by garage psychsters Brian Wilson Shock Treatment track from their recent We Are The BWST CD (see review this issue).
Joe Folk & The Soho Valley Girls serve up some traditional country folk with "Mountain Girls".
"You Wanna Be Real" by Pale Green Syndrome, released on 7", was the first Slutfish release, and is included here for posterity. It's an excellent heavy psych song with equal parts spaciness and attitude.
Thundering Lizards was Scott Prato's first band (JFK Jr. Royal Airforce, World of Tomorrow, Friends Of Mescalito) and "Do You Wanna?" is a roller coaster garage psych tune that extols the virtues of marijuana.
Xloty: Fric N' Frac are the duo of Karen and Irena, who I'd not heard before, but their "I Can't Find You" is like a... I'm not sure how to describe it... I guess I'll call it 60's styled San Francisco psychedelia with a garage attitude. I like Karen's vocals.
Naturally a Slutfish compilation wouldn't be complete without a contribution from The Billy Syndrome, who offers the mucho psychy trippy "Love Surrender", as well as an anti-folk rendition of Hendrix's "Manic Depression".
Billed as a blind white rap trio, 2 Blind Mice mix robotic hip-hop and haunting Ennio Morricone western flick guitar to create.... well... blind white rap trio music. An excellent song.
More very cool spaced out garage psychedelia comes from Astro Zombies, who had a full length out of Slutfish this year that I haven't heard. But if this one tune is any indication I'll bet it's good.
And the psychedelia continues with The Urban Outdoorsmen, from an early Slutfish release with Billy on drums. Dig that rockin pulsating guitar sound.
Mike The Robot's brand of dancey Devo-esque space rock, taken from their 7" release, was one of the first Slutfish recordings I had heard a few years back.
Mongrel Bitch is a quartet of ladies who crank out heavy rockin power pop with an angry punky edge.
The Fly Ashtray do a great fun cover of Al Hirt's "Java".
JFK Jr. Royal Airforce chimes in with a brain blistering freakout track called "Clang!".
Finally, we've got the riotous "Elvis Song" by the Hershey Squirts, yet another Billy Syndrome vehicle.
Overall, this is one hell of a fun collection and something that both veteran Slutfish fans and newcomers alike with enjoy.
For more information you can visit the Slutfish Records web site at: http://www.slutfishrecords.com.
Contact via snail mail c/o Slutfish Worldwide; 327 Bedford Ave #A2; Brooklyn, NY 11211.
Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz