EP Review: Wartgore Hellsnicker
thewhiteboardproject:
Title: Moderate Rock
Label: Audio Antihero
Release: 30th May 2011
Rating: 8.2
Do you know what the meaning of Kodak is? There is none. It was chosen by George Eastman because it meant nothing and could therefore only be associated with itself. Wartgore Hellsnicker feels much the same; although when this EP first appeared in my SoundCloud inbox I saw the name and thought what the fuck is this? Sounds like a character out of Inglourious Basterds. But, not wanting to judge a book by its cover, I gave it a listen without prejudice and was pleasantly surprised as I set out on what turned out to be an 11 minute joyride.
The opening track, ‘Karl vs Groucho’, is a masterpiece of composition. Leading in with James Murphy vocals, before a guitar kicks starts an utterly infectious riff. Every individual twang of the bass string rattles in an almost visual way. Trumpets and metronomic, scratchy guitar compete in a dance off which graduates into a classy breakdown before a pre-school recorder interlude, sounding slightly Jewish, runs out of breath, only to be resuscitated by clashing drum fills and a trumpet flourish. The song mellows out to a close and you’re left with a bemused disbelief that a song so busy can flow so well. The amazing compositional understanding bodes well for track two.
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