Moke's long lost album recovered!
QUICK TURN IT OFF IT'S OASIS. Oh no wait it's Moke that CD I'm supposed to have reviewed yesterday but the problem is; whenever I turn it on I fall asleep. So if you catch me sleeping at any part of this review then I must apologize in advance.
'Carnival' was Moke's 2nd release and was due out in 2003 on US label Ultimatum except the label filed for bankruptcy and the album was never properly produced and distributed. From thereon, Moke split up and its members returned back from the USA to sunny England, turned into industrial metallers and all now work at Cyberdog in Camden. That last bit's a lie. After almost two years of collecting dust, the record fell into the hands of Fruit Pie records and is now due for release on the 27th of June.
Moke play that sort of music that slides between the Californian rock you'd usually expect from bands like Smashing Pumpkins and that distinct British sound usually found in The Stereophonics or even Oasis.
Moke's generic Indie rock traits reflect that of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, by that I mean they seem to jump from one sound to another in an instant. For example you have the band's single 'Slide' which sounds like something Lennon would be writing if he was still alive. Then 'My Degeneration' which is fuelled on those dirty riffs that are usually associated with Audioslave of even Reef. I'm usually a person who acts quick to criticise this generic poppiness but today I'm feeling nice, the band do bore me to death but this is radio-rock at it's finest.
There are some parts of Moke's album that especially stick out in comparison to the rest of their album. The production of this album is astounding; everything has been mixed to perfection. Final track 'Fluicide' indulges in a drug-induced surrealistic atmosphere with peculiar guitar/percussion noises fading in and out of the piece.
Even though Moke are dead, it seems Fruitpie are determined to release their hidden 'masterpiece' and finish off what Ultimatum started. I doubt the age of this record will affect it's success but this band are certainly no Nirvana and news of a long awaited release won't bring millions flocking to stores to buy it.