Cucumber Farmer- Empirical Research on Western Popular
Music 1993-2006
(American Brothers ABROS6)
From Aural Innovations #38 (Jan 2008)
Cucumber Farmer is a strange but very cool Finnish band. I reviewed and loved
their other CD called Beyond. This new double CD was 3 years in the making.
The first CD is the intended CD, while the 2nd CD is the same tracks (given
different titles) remixed by Pink Twins, who I have no idea who they are. The
band clearly intended on this being a musical experiment with them playing doctor
and you the so called guinea pig. One is expected to take the listening experience
seriously. No monkey business here… Listen, experience some emotion…write
the review… or enjoy your next beer…
The Absolute Proof starts the CD and it is very spaced out as the band slowly
takes you into their strange world, via the secret entrance around the back.
Since I’ve been Edge and Bono is a crazy mixture of stoned dub reggae
and noise rock. I just died in a Las Vegas Nightclub follows and begins very
laid back (think Twin Peaks movie) with piano and a strange ambience but it
slowly devolves into some sort of distorted post rock nightmare… Working
in the USSR begins with some people labouring in the background with jackhammers
and stuff as the music slowly builds up again getting quite heavy at the end.
Loneliness of Gary Lonely is next and again features some singing. By the time
you get to Bigass Oceanliner the record is pretty intense and really beginning
to space my head out… The CD ends with DTM and a Riding Car and it is
another mindfuck of a trip.. Be careful as this CD could serious damage your
mind….. As for the remix CD, it is about 10 mins longer than the regular
CD and a totally different trip and very psychedelic! Pretty amazing stuff,
actually..
Check out the band web site at: http://www.myspace.com/cucumberfarmer
Visit the record label web site at: http://www.americanbrothers.com
Reviewed by Scott Heller