Staggs had been quiet for a while, which was a disappointment to us as we rely on their left field wit and musical dexterity to brighten us up. Joy abounded when Scott contacted us to say new things were germinating in the clearing.
On receipt of these recent recordings we were, of course, more than satisfied with the results. Ridley and Scott never fail to impress with their particular perspective on life.
On the first of these two new ones the manic two step beat and squelchy synths provide a perfect accompaniment to a musical repast dealing with peculiar English tropes ostensibly around the breaking of the fast (as my Auntie Sylvia delights in describing it) or perhaps not, perhaps there is a more sinister sub-text? Somehow a paean to Cyril Knowles slips into the mix, or is it another Cyril? I imagine Devo would sound like this if they had been brought up in Gateshead and suckled Brown Ale at the teat.
The second piece is a more measured affair with Dub Step intentions and for some reason (which Scott says is nothing to do with anything) inexplicably starts in Coventry and then morphs via Laurel & Hardy into Nelson (the Admiral not the town in Lancashire) It's all about contrapuntal lines and merging/morphing themes and gets a little like a sea shanty towards the end. Nautical? Oh yes, a glass of brandy through a macaroni straw has a Nelson-ish piquancy which of course resonates with the preceding track.
Vive Les Staggs, without them the world would be a duller place.
Smooth, sophisticated pop with neoclassical flourishes from the Berlin-based duo of Fabian Till and Birk Buttcherey. Bandcamp New & Notable May 2, 2024