Play 90 second soundbite of 'Werk Jerk' @ 'CD quality'
'Burgers' is about everything that's bad for you - hence the title (I'm sure McDonalds'll take it well enough!). Ballsy, brash, expletive ridden. Comic, serious, poignent. Exciting, original, fresh. Totally absorbing from start to its conclusion some 78 minutes later. OK, you'll know I like to be musically challenged and I appreciate something that's a bit off-the-wall. You'll also know that I appreciate good writing, top drawer musicianship and originality. I like a laugh. I like to be entertained. I like the avant-garde. Well, with 'Burger', Toupe have just about ticked all of my boxes. Here we have some damn fine musicians, some pretty weird songs, an album that's a positive pleasure to behold (especially for someone of my rather strange musical mentality) - oh, and a total package that's simply great value for money.
'Burgers' is a concept album that takes the art of experimental music in Britain to a different level. And, as you'd expect from a band driven mainly by two basses there's some amazing, punchy work that shows just what can be done with what's usually thought of as just a rhythm instrument. Heavy riffs and runs with bags of jazzy overtones, funky slaps and clever juxtapositions augmented by fearsome percussion work. As a relish, there's a few guest instruments thrown in here and there to add filling to this wonderfully tasty morsel. Vocally Toupe are passionately expressive rather than perfectly honed voices as they blurt out their lyrics with talk-overs and semi-talked poetic exchanges that 'bring their message home'. 'Burgers' reminds me of The Mothers Of Invention and Captain Beefheart classics from way back when - wonderfully extravagant music bolstering hard edged words to get a theme across.
Toupe aint frightened to venture into any musical genre - they do it here with ease, notably during the awesome 20 minute final track, 'Chef's Special Twenty Minute Snack Break' where they adopt a great county theme with the help of a guest pedal steel guitar before returning to their more zany approach, then back again - special stuff!. This is really quite scary 'cause I didn't thing we had bands in the UK that have this in them - but, it seems we do!
'Burgers' is not going to everyone's taste. 'Burger' is for the listener prepared to get involved. Therefore, 'Burgers' is a pure pleasure for me to behold. It's brought some unexpected light into my fairly normal grey day. 'Burgers' is three talented guys having their say, enjoying their work and trying to share their energy and passion for the absurd - it's brilliant!! Give me more Toupe, Hackpen Records and Manilla PR. Please give me more; 'Burgers' has me hungry for more of this delicious stuff that's bad for me!!
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