Fuck Off Machete - What's The Signal?
The band formerly known as Fuck Off Machete. Why the name change? They've signed with Jam records down under and they frown on that sort of thing. It's so grown up to have swearing in your title don't you think?
So on to the EP 'IF GOLD WAS SILVER AND SILVER WAS GOLD' which heralds their second album 'BLAZE OF FLASHES'. From the opening staccato almost out of tune guitar at the start of 'WHAT'S THE SIGNAL' it's odd. There's nothing like this about. It's freaky artypoppunk. In parts it harks back to Bo-wow-wow, but mixed with freezepop and Bjork. It's a very strange little world they live in; I'm booking a daytrip (I may not make it back).
The voice of Natasha Noramly (yep spelt that right) is the stand out feature of the band coming across like a nightmarish child who you ought to be scared of. Her vocals work really well on the last track, a real treat, a cover of Olivia Newton John's 'PHYSICAL'. Genius!