Bikini Black Special - The Grim Mathematics Of Intercourse CD

Hear The Track Here

Last request from the blog this month is someone we have encountered before, although in a remix stylee. Electric Eye (Big Weenie Blag Spatial Mix) (September 2009) was a remix from our old friend Big Wheel and - as is usual with me and remixes - I had to catch an earful of the original track and I'm real glad I did because it introduced a very capable band to me. I recommended both tracks, the remix and the original, and that doesn't happen that often. Consequently, one of the band contacted me and asked if I would cast my ears on their new CD thingie. 'Engineered and produced at We Have Your Monkey by Paddy Green and Jonti Peters' it says and this is a terrific sound regardless of what you might think about the material.

Speaking of which, my best guess is a (kinda/sorta) English B-52's but much, much smoother - and I know the band are going to hate that description. Certainly Schrodinger's Bomb (track 1) gives that impression, although Great Apes (track 2 and wonderful) turns that right on its head and the same could be said for the rest of the tracks. This is a very diverse band, they stretch themselves extremely well, while keeping a definable sound. By the time you are onto tracks 3-4 it's obvious that not only are Bikini Black Special pretty keen musically, they have a smart way with a lyric and/or arrangement; both Black Hat and Nagasaki are intelligent, complex and incredibly detailed songs and show that there is more than a distinctive sound happening here.

Having lived with this eleven track CD for almost a week or so, it's actually taken me that long to finally start hearing the tracks properly, ie without that initial impression getting in the way. In that time I have become quite enamoured with the whole BBS style and - I shamefully admit - such wasn't the case with the B-52's let me tell you. Simply going by the track I heard with Big Wheel, I would never have guessed that the band were as advanced (in style and content) as they undoubtedly are. I'd contend that The Grim Mathematics Of Intercourse is a serious work, and probably should be approached that way; not something you can nosh on during your lunchtime. If you ARE pushed for time have a quick listen to Great Apes, Nagasaki (love the acoustic version) or El Tango Del Hombre, that will give you the whole story. Intelligent, wide ranging compilation that deserves to be heard much, much more widely.

Highly Recommended multi-genre band and CD.