At the risk of embarking on a masturbatory academic journey, there’s an element of such artistic philosophy running through Go-Go Sapien’s new album, This Body Is Wrong For Us. The opening track, Recreational Derelict sets the scene: a lazy wander through the streets, musing at whatever ‘average’ events appear in the narrator’s vision. Altered Ego packs a serious garage punch in self-defence at the accusing eyes of the dominant discourse; the Sick Love unpacks, messes up and re-packages conventional romantic pursuits in a warped-pop guise.
On the sci-fi ravished Hatewind the mood is one of defiance – up is down, in is out and bizarre is normal. The bubblegum pop ofFull Frontal Lobotomy Go-Go Sapien cuts to the chase, identifying the only medical cure for this skewed world,Celebrities Are Your Gods Now finds the faux spirituality in mass media frenzy, and wraps it up in a dirty garage form, while Instant Welfare Centre takes The Stooges’ TV Eye for a journey into Go-Go Sapien’s deranged existence.
The album comes with a 47-minute film featuring such local music luminaries as Van Walker, Liz Stringer, Laura Jean and Kim Salmon. The narrative is as rough and ready as the pretentious intellectual wank that opens this album review; the film, however, is infinitely more amusing. Go-Go Sapien are out there on the margins, just doing what comes natural.
BY PATRICK EMERY
Best Track: Altered Ego
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Sci-fi film soundtracks
In A Word: Deranged
