Doing 31 Reviews in 31 Days allows me to venture away from the core of I Don't Hear A Single into things that I listen to when I'm away from the riffs and choruses that inhabit the majority of space here. It is also offers an opportunity to mention one of the great record labels of our times.
I would never call Schizo Fun Addict an easy listen, they are far too varied for that. Interesting sounds patronising, so lets call them wonderful. They are a band that can switch from a sort of Nico and The Velvet Underground to Bananarama in the blink of an eye.
They can do incredible 80s Pop, yet are just at home with deep Psych and that is the joy of being a fan. The three opening songs here sound like a completely different band to much of what follows. The twee Dream Pop of Forever Before, the UK 60s Beat of High School High and the Jangle Pop of Fate Chaser are all absolute tip Top Poppity Pop.
But it is what follows that has always appealed most to me. Outrun is atmospherically moody, magnificently so and Subway Lillies could be on the soundtrack of some obscure 60s French Film Noir, mixing Psych to a Bossa Nova beat.
Meet You In The Wind is melancholy to a big Drum Beat (slightly Burundi) and Activate is both Avant Garde yet incredibly melodic. Just waiting till you hear what they do to Houses Of The Holy's Over The Hills And Far Away, acoustic it isn't, it is inspired.
It is also lovely to hear the excellent Lounge Bar Orchestra on the all too short lounge music of Reprise. Schizo Fun Addict frequent a planet that is all of their own, no mediocrity allowed. Special mention to Fruits De Mer too, a label that refuses to be ordinary and caters for a much wider range of music than it is given credit for.
You can listen to and buy the album here. You can buy the LP (Vinyl sounds so ridiculous) from FdM here, it is splendidly presented.
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