(Ochre Records : OCH008LCD) Author: Jyoti Mishra
Date: 1999/03/27
Forum: uk.music.alternative more headers author posting history

Never heard of this lot but bought it after a quick listen in Soundclash. Very strange mix. The first track is quite psych-rock and slow, brooding. Sounds most like slow Nick Cave but with less gruff vocals. But then the second track launches into a kind of squawky eurodisco, complete with castanets and mental vocals. Sounds a bit like ‘Power, Corruption & Lies’ crossed with an Italian football commentary. And that’s good.

Really, you should at least give this album a listen.It lurches quite drunkenly and brilliantly from genre to genre, not seeming to care about convention. ‘Help, I’m a Rock’ is fourbeat pop genius. The only feel I can compare it to is The Very Things. Or perhaps Fatima Mansions. Although the songs are completly dissimilar, the album sort of reminds me of Felt in the way you can’t quite predict what’s coming next.

And if I’m making it sound avant-garde, it isn’t. I think this is a very poppy album. Okay, lines like “when you blow your nose, take care of your clothes” aren’t gonna entrance everyone. But the songs are very poppy, very catchy.There’s so much humour and broadness of palette here. ‘The Observer Is Observed’ lasts for 12 minutes and floats buy so that you forget what came before it.
 
Check out the Ochre site at:
http://www.ochre.co.uk
for a bit of a biog of TFOG and their other releases and events.

Buy this album if you like Fourtet, the Notwist, Depeche Mode, David Devant or Komeda. Don’t buy it if you’re anti-guitar or anti-synth.