Brain Freeze
Hailing from rural Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, which holds claim as the ancestral home to Johnny Cash and these days plays host to the Scottish alternative acoustic scene and is home to this five piece, (who occasionally swell to anything up to eight members), known as Das Contras.
Das Contras are not your typical run of the mill band, one look at how they describe their sound "Independent Folk-Funk, Jazz, Rock and Reggae" and immediately you have an idea that the album is an eclectic mix of songs that on the one hand make you smile with pleasure and on the other make you hit the skip button to the next track. One thing is for sure, it is different and you certainly cannot accuse Das Contras of trying to copy any other band, they are true to themselves, just wish they had thought up a better album title than "Das Contras".
Album name aside, it is a complete hit and miss album, there are moments of brilliance where your body just wants to move, or at the very least you want to tap your feet and then there are the moments when it becomes a bit too alternative, a bit too different, a bit too oddball, so it becomes too hard on the ears and brains.
Musically it is played well, the band work together and not randomly playing just for the sake of it like some bands trying to be too alternative seem to. The horn section in particular adds a lot to the tracks, giving a real funk, jazz and at times Latin feel. The lyrics are well thought out, especially on 'What's Left?' with the end of the chorus "What's left, Ain't right" and any album with a track title "WTF" can't be that bad. The tracks are all very poignant throughout "Das Contras".
It is a shame that there is a feel of lack of direction on the album. Although, I can think of worse ways to having your brain played with.