Glasgow’s Fuzzkill Records are big on compilations. I’ve reviewed a few of them myself in these very pages, and it’s fair to say that here at Whisperin’ and Hollerin’, we like what they do. Not only have they found some fantastic bands, but they’re quintessential exponents of the indie ethos of old, operating in the digital age. By which I mean they release scuzzy, noisy, lo-fi home-recorded indie bands on limited edition cassettes, but do downloads too. What’s more, all profits from this release will be split between Greater Maryhill Foodbank and Refugee Action.
This ‘Valentine’s day’ compilation features many of the regular Fuzzkill artists, including favourites Breakfast MUFF, Halfrican, Youngstrr Joey, Sweaty Palms and the brilliantly-named Fat Girlish Farts.
Dune Witch Trials kick off this 31-track epic with a surprisingly close take on Robert Palmer’s ‘Addicted to Love’. Not all of the songs are as attentive to the spirit or sound of the original. Some of the interpretations are so whacky you’ll probably struggle to identify some well-known songs without referring to the track-listing, while some of the tracks are so obscure they could get away with practically anything. And as it happens, that’s very much the appeal of this compilation, and the label’s output as a whole.
The wide-ranging choice of songs is remarkable – from Fruit Tones covering The Ronettes (and sounding like The Ramones on an off night in rehearsal) to CHUMP’s muddy shoegaze dub treatment of Sade via Catholic Action’s slanted but enchanting take on masters of lo-fi Silver Jews’ ‘Honk If You’re Lonely’ and Youngstrr Joey’s riotous version of Elvis’ ‘Burning Love’ which sounds more like Truman’s Water than any end-of-the-pier tribute you’ll ever hear.
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Halfrican take on Van Halen’s ‘Why Can’t This Be Love’ and give it a wild brash, brassy and rather amusing punk thrashing; Future Glue’s noisy stab at ‘Greece’ has to be heard to be believed, and Peace and Sweaty Palms have the facking audacity to tackle Bowie’s ‘China Girl’ and rework it as a spaced-out and reverby psychedelic garage track – and it’s bloody great.
Love Barbershop Mohammed Ali’s cover of Nirvana’s ‘Aneurysm’ (one of my favourite Nirvana tracks) is a most respectful homage, but suffers from sounding like a like bootleg recorded from outside the venue’s back door. Still, while some of the reworkings are decidedly tongue-in-cheek, none are out-and-out sacrilegious or bad. Given the fact that we’re talking about a compilation with 31 tracks on it, that’s quite a feat.
Fuzzkill Records - Under the Covers Vol II Online
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