Pitchfork

This song from the supergroup comprised of Mark E. Smith (the Fall) and Jan St. Werner and Andi Toma (Mouse on Mars) is the sweetest on their forthcoming record. Which isn't hard-- through most of the album Smith sounds sour and annoyed, like he's pissed that he has to do yet another vocal take. Or maybe he's just pissed. Or maybe he's just Mark E. Smith. He starts with the same tone here here, too as he grunts something unintelligible. But then he begins the tune proper and he's all chipper and tuneful, sounding like he's auditioning for a power pop band or something, even tossing in some groovy "bah bah bah"s. The beat is both simple and busy, with the electronics coated in a film of square-wave digital fuzz, and the structure is elusive as it moves from one section to another without real verses or choruses. It's the kind of strange but catchy pop one might hope for from this strange collaboration.

[from Tromatic Reflexxions; due 05/21/07 on Domino UK and 06/05/07 on Domino U.S.]