Real Groove Review of
The Silence of Perez de Cuellar EP
We were impressed even before hearing this EP from Christchurch
prog-rockers The Bob Lazar Story. Top marks for a) addressing a letter to
Real Groove with: "Firstly, I forgive you for overlooking the CD I sent
in for review last year", and b) including a footnote to the proclamation
"new 6 track EP available everywhere" with the clause "well,
not everywhere. You won't find it at Sound's, but that doesn't matter, does
it?"
Well, Sounds', loss then. Its an impressive collection of instrumental music
so diverse it's hard to categorise, driven by an irreverent Frank Zappa-like
humour that obviously extends to their written words too. Six relatively short
tracks traverse funk, rock, folk, electro, lounge and jazz, often within just
one song. Thinking I'd heard three distinct tracks, I was but halfway through
opener Wheat Hat, a prog rock brick that morphs into a space-porn soundtrack
with electro beats, funky plucked bass and fluffy keys. Same for the title
track, where dirty '70s rock duels with a slow lounge jam before some abstract
jazz weighs in with a punch before the issue is settled by a rock roundhouse.
Wonderfully schizophrenic.
Phil Reed
