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'9.5 out of 10 -
The Fleshpeddlers' third LP, Falling Into a Dream is a dense, chaotic, poorly mixed mess of an album that sounds like the work of a bunch of meth-addled punks and ravers who broke into Trent Reznor's studio late one night and tried to whip out an LP before the janitor showed up in the morning. ---
It's also the best new album I've heard all year. ---
From track one, The Disco Song, Falling Into A Dream came out swinging and didn't let up until it had thoroughly kicked the shit out of my eardrums. Jittery drumbeats explode like they'd been programmed by a crackhead; hyper-processed guitars and synths buzz and snarl into knots, while vocalist Todd Millenacker scream-sings so maniacally, you'd think the building where they recorded it was on fire. ---
I can only compare the experience to the first time I heard NIN's Broken or Public Enemy's Fear of A Black Planet - my brain just couldn't keep up with all the crazy sounds flying out of the speakers. It was enough to make a used-up old music whore like myself sing Like A Virgin. And, most suprisingly, it didn't lose any oomph on the second and third spin. ---
Not that the Fleshpeddlers are all distortion and bluster. Several of the tracks, such as Angie Girl and Ordinary Eyes, are full-blown ballads, displaying an affinity for lush arrangements, sweeping dynamics, and crafty pop melodies. On these slower songs, the raw emotion in Millenacker's dying-goose howl makes him a surprisingly effective, (albeit freakish) pop crooner. And even the most furious tracks, like The Crusher and Lady Electric, have a strong pop framework beneath their scaly surface. Never aggressive - just hyperactive - the Fleshpeddlers essentially take 80s New Wave pop-punk (as in the Buzzcocks), wrap it in a thick layer of 90s techno and industrial, then crank it up to 11. Who cares if the lyrics get a bit silly at times? I was too busy rocking out to notice. ---
As is usually the case, the hard songs on Falling Into A Dream benefit from the muddy production quality while the gentler tracks suffer. In the future, one can only hope that the Fleshpeddlers will either refine their own production skills or hook up with a talented engineer so that their softer side can get the hi-fi treatment it deserves. But for the moment, it's a joy to hear the Fleshpeddlers in their raw, unfiltered state. ---
The best thing about Falling Into A Dream is that it manages to sound wildly innovative, without sounding the least bit premeditated. I really hope the band didn't put too much time or thought into this album… it would ruin the beautiful image I have of them thrashing it out in one divinely-inspired take.'~ 100% Unnatural 'One of the great bands of the late 80s and early 90s was the Jesus and Mary Chain. I mean, the brothers Reid wrote some of the best pop songs ever. The Fleshpeddlers seem have figured this out, and they have fused that industrial pop sound with a general new wave sensibility. ---
Irresistible for just about anyone going through an 80s retro fascination, methinks. Whether using synth-pop or industrial bases for the rhythm section, these songs simply soar. ---
Imagine, say, if Magnetic Fields were to suddenly develop a craving for Revolting Cocks or something. That good, at least at times. And even when the Fleshpeddlers miss the mark, it isn't by much. The songs then are merely cool. ---
One of those albums that jumps out at me and screams, Listen to me! Listen to me! Love me! I kinda have to follow my impulses there. I'm in blissland. Feel free to join me.'~ Aiding & Abetting 'This is the 3rd CD release from this Minneapolis trio. 12 tracks in all, choc-full of quirky keyboards, bouncy anthemic tunes and some quite accomplished songwriting, this unit has definitely carved out a niche for themselves. They imaginatively blend styles, the cheesy pop of ‘It’s Perfect’ is hastily displaced by the rotor blade beats and retro-synth power of ‘The Crusher’. The influence here is The Cure, particularly on the vocal front, with Todd Millenackers vocals cutting a simlilar style. The jangling guitars and off-key notations of ‘Inflatable Dreams’ provide surreal listening whilst the ambient melodies of ‘Bittersweet’ are a particularly enjoyable distraction. Raw, yet enjoyably energetic and experimental, The Fleshpeddlers have a very bright future in front of them with the right exposure. Despite this, It is to be noted that the albums coarse sound definitely requires quite some smoothing out in the studio, they also need to shrug off that cheesy eighties feel, which could possibly hold them back from receiving the attention they deserve. However, I would imagine that there is more than enough food for thought here for any record labels looking to sign up fresh blood, especially those with a definitive retro outlook. '~ Barcode |
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