Men Without Country play electronic rock with a blush of The Eurythmics, Gary Numan and Heaven 17. The cluttered and clamouring style does suggest that the music contains so much transience as do dubious sanitary conditions. There’s also a humour that reminds of the old Soviet propaganda poster which declares: “Today you will play jazz, tomorrow you will betray your country” and there is enough Red Army frisson behind Virga and Romanek to send tingles down the spine.
For whatever reason, Entrophy resurrects the pugnacity of Laurie Anderson with a similar bout of contradictions. The New Order start to Laws Of Motion is considerably better than what could’ve been a joyless division rendition as it swaggers toward Pet Shop Boys territory, although taking on so much can sometimes sound as exciting as a deflating balloon. Oil Spill is a bold tune and sees Men Without Country at their ideal fighting weight, thumping along and as restful as it is relentless.
Loveless Marriage is a relationship ice age which struggles to progress forward as both as an idea and a tune. Dead Sea is therefore so much better. The vocals are overbearingly distorted and manipulated although this piece has the grandeur of an accomplished work which screams the news that the band are not stuck in their monochrome ways.
Catfish is a title silly enough to be mistaken for a rockabilly tune. Not so, as it has bubbling synths and angelic vocals. The steely Romanek and Virga also feature skipping harmonic arrangements that carry both songs into unique soundscapes.
The album finishes with songs that see the band stretch themselves musically. Incubation borders on Steve Reich while Deliver Us From Evil maintains a murky edge throughout it mea culpa salvation.
BY BRONIUS ZUMERIS
