THE cover of the debut self-titled album from MUZZY PEP is bright and weird - an excellent introduction to the sound and nature of the group.
Bright orange with a picture of a six metre-high bunny rabbit mounted by a cowboy herding cows out on the range . . . Muzzy Pep is not your average rock and roll band.
Playing at SJ's On Beaumont on Wednesday, August 26, the group is a band of perfect pop music writers, which looks at the world through a different set of eyes to most songwriters.
On a personal note the band has restored my faith in music and not just because it is local.
Muzzy Pep is an absorbing listen and the kind of music you can crank up and rock out to. The fact that the band is from the Hunter merely provides more reason to get out and catch the group live.
Featuring SWALLOW TONGUE guitarist ERROL MOYLE on guitar and vocals, SCOTT BLACKLEY on guitar and vocals, STEVEN BISETTE on bass guitar and SIMON MCCABE on drums, the band describes itself as 'postmodern existential swank (with a silent S)'. Mmmmmm . . ..
Muzzy Pep formed 18 months ago, recording this disc in January on a farm at Paterson.
Released independently next week, the CD will only be available at gigs. Thankfully the band is heading back into the studio in October. I can't wait to hear more!
The seven-song disc runs at 20 minutes, but each song is packed with ideas and the hook of each comes within the first 20 seconds of the song.
'We don't overcook 'em,' Blackley says laconically.
'We stick them in the oven and when the bell goes off we pull 'em out and they're ready.'
Mesmerizing short catchy melodies, tight inventive rhythms, surprising and unpredictable arrangements, and a spirited vocal delivery make this album an instant winner.
Magic lies in the lyrics which are humorous, philosophical and open to interpretation, a rare combination. Check out ONE 85, a homage to AGENT 86 MAXWELL SMART and his sassy offsider 99.
TE has five copies of the disc to give away.
To go in the draw send your envelope, with name, address and telephone number on the back, to MUZZY PEP GIVEAWAY, PO Box 200, Newcastle, 2300.
Check out the TE web site where we've posted a copy of the band's song lyrics this week. If you like what you read, you might also enter the competition on-line. TE
The following song lyrics are reproduced with the king permission of MUZZY PEP.
Song One: 'ONE 85'
Caught in a stellar cross fire,
and everybody knows you dodged a bullet,
drown in a go-go nightclub,
you do the swim and she'll say
'you spy'.
Chorus: Spy,
spy,
spy,
spy.
Surrounded,
by the US army,
or maybe 10 cops with sawn-off shot guns,
would you believe
a couple of snipers,
were two boy scouts with pocket knives.
(Chorus.)
Song Two: 'MISS CELLANEOUS'
Dancing with the missile,
you know it's going to blow,
choose what you like,
nothing's permanent,
it's temporary.
Chorus: It's out of my hands,
it's over my head,
it's out of my hands,
it's over my head.
Don't get so broke,
the dollar's floating sound,
it's sliding through the hole,
at the end of the pocket,
where it's rolling 'round.
(Chorus).
You must be flying,
you must be driving.
Song Three: 'RATTLE IN THE DASH'
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah -
it's a cool machine,
slow it down to one 15,
like I told like I told you before,
well I don't care if you got six on the floor.
Chorus: You're wild,
you're a maniac,
and I don't wanna die,
with you in a car.
This ain't no Volvo no we ain't safe,
we're swervin' slidin' all over the place,
rattle in the dash doing 165,
well I don't think I'm going home tonight.
(Chorus.)
My white knuckles won't grip any more,
I'm tryin' and tryin' to
unlock the door,
yeah your grinnin'
you've got nothin to say,
you want to throw your bloody life away,
(Chorusx2).
Song Four: 'CIRCLE WORK'
Here it comes again another,
situation like no other,
hesitation the only player,
playing on my side.
You are the one that poked my eye out,
the sky it grounds me here forever,
around my feet around my memory
sinking in the mud.
Chorus: I'm not swimming I'm not driving
I'm doing nothing.
Hearing words of wisdom from your
mouth is making me feel stupid,
ranting raving palace cupid,
falling from the sky.
It's all your style your dedication,
what you see and hear are no relation,
it's hard to be a grade A student,
the teacher makes no sense.
(Chorus).
Oh no no no.
Song Five: 'EATING CLOUDS AND DRINKING PAINT'
Stained glass dreams of the chronic insomniac,
working my fingers to the bone,
watching teams of the sonic Kerouacs,
racing out with the day on loan.
Chorus: I'm drinking paint,
now eating clouds,
chain smoking centre lines and taking over,
dressed up to the nines like cassanova,
gotta another new review, it's all updated,
I'm stil a philistine.
Viscous honey lies in your motor oil tears drip,
another service station pay phone,
just a sunny sky in a tin foil spaceship,
don't believe a thing now unless we're shown.
(Chorus).
I'm drinking paint,
now eating clouds,
chain smoking centre lines and taking over,
dressed up to the nines like Cassanova
got another new review it's all updated,
I'm still a parasite.
Song Six: 'TWO YEARS IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION'
Early to rise,
midday sun burnin your eyes,
your head lifts off the matress,
pissed off when you wake,
cause you just missed Rikki Lake.
Better pack me up a number,
walking around chin dragging on the ground,
wondering where the remote is,
this must be a nightmare cause Oprah is up,
next can't get through the day without. . .
Chorus: Two years in front of the television.
Song seven: 'LUCID'
You know it's positively Brontesaurean,
lukewarm dogma is heating up again,
unbearable brightness of seeing,
the way it looks and sounds and then.
Chorus 1: Around and around,
around and around.
It's all so, so, so, so with so & so.
(repeat).
Everything has to be special,
because super special people
they like to be thought about,
there's nothing more precious than yourself,
and it's all so lucid
if that's all you think about.
Chorus 2: Get down from your high horse,
come down from your high horse.
(repeat).
We'll have a barbecue before the riot,
red meating gathering salad days are here,
and don't get too excited,
there'll be bongoes, axes aggro, and lots of sneer.
(Chorus 2 repeat.)
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