Music Reviews - Regurgitator: …Art

Regurgitator "…Art" (1999)

(reviewed 20 January, 2000)

This is Regurgitator's third full length album and it seems to me that they're takin the piss. This may sound obvious for a band that on previous albums had songs such as "I Sucked a Lot Of Cock (to get where I am)" and on their second album "I Like Your Old Stuff (better than your new stuff), but they've moved on (very slightly) to now be taking the piss out of the industry as a whole. Is it just me?

Every song seems to rip off a totally different musical style. This ain't a bad thing but I am wondering if it is an intentional piss-take (I haven't heard that this is the case). From the dubbed up version of "Are You Being Served?" (yes the theme from the 1970s English sitcom) which would make Fatboy proud, to the Spandau Ballet style of "Lonely Guy" (a definite low point on the album if its NOT a piss-take) - to the hidden track "Metal!" which oozes Dokken all over it - to the rap of "I Like Repetitive Music" - this seems one big "we can do whatever we like" kinda record. And they do it well.

"I Love Tommy Mottola" is really cool, reminding me of the Drop City/Sidewinder take on english music sensabilities while having a dig at one of the record bosses. "I Wanna Be A Nudist" - the first single from the album - is straight Buzzcocks with its short sharp jab. "Freshmint" definitely shows the influences of the Happyland project Quan Yeomans (lead singer) did with Janet from Spiderbait (his partner) - there are lots of cheesy keyboards and backing vocals, and "Obtusian" is from the Hard Ons school while the albums opener "Fuckin A!" will have the crowd moshing in no time.

Since recording this album, the gurge's long time drummer Martin Lee has left using the old chestnut "musical differences". He didn't have any input into the album and refused to do any press work saying he had nothing to do with it so there was no point in talking to him. Maybe there was a little too much takin the piss?

Overall this album is great - one of the best for 1999. Its full of songs that don't hang together at all, but they've definitely "regurgitated" a lot of whats been going on in the last 20 years and shown they can do it with ease.

(reviewed 20 January, 2000)

This page last updated 20th January 2000