[$5 // Edition of 100 // https://alreadydeadtapes.bandcamp.com/album/ad192-comfort-food-waffle-frolic]
I can't believe it but it has been over two years since I last reviewed Comfort Food. That seems like too long but then again, what do I know about time? I think I typed a lot in that review about how all food should bring you comfort because when you are hungry eating food no longer makes you hungry and there should be comfort in there. But this one has waffle in the title and I recognized the name right away- even though "Waffle Frolic" can be a bit of a tongue twister- and was excited for this one.
"Waffle Frolic" begins with rat-like screeches and background talking. Music comes in which sounds like "Lowrider" meets The Lot Six. With elements of Frank Zappa and Blind Melon, we head into a drum solo and boy are these drums good. A trumpet begins to play now and it reminds me of "Salt Peanuts". This is all just becoming so mixed together in some ways it reminds me of a jam band and in other ways it reminds me of Traffic. Whatever way you imagine it, the music is good and there are these primal urges in place of vocals.
After someone says "Money, power, glory" we go back into that original sound from the first song (Which, really, makes me feel like we're stuck in that Limp Bizkit loop from the song "Nookie" where the line is: "Like a chump, hey" over and over) and I will relate it to the James Gang. Audio clips come out of people talking about various things. It just seems to be a man-on-the-street type of thing where people are discussing different topics and put in here at random.
The guitars quicken in pace while they have this ska sense to them. Then we bring out the rhythm of the big steel drum. What was that band who used to be on Drive Thru Records that I didn't like but everyone else did? I saw them open for RxBandits once. I think they were literally called "Steel Drum". I remember their singer was once Simba on Broadway, if that helps anyone narrow them down-- not that anyone cares. And, no, I have no idea why they just came into my head then.
Trumpet blasts return to keep us in that groove. It's a cross between rock n roll and soul music but I'm not the one who will dare to call it "rock n soul". (Shhhhhh) Those primal urges as vocals come back out again and this just feels like such a trip. Have you ever seen people banging on buckets with pants on that were rolled up into shorts and they don't have shirts but probably dreadlocks and you think that what they're doing looks like a lot of fun? It's just this raw energy and perhaps it isn't best to compare Comfort Food to those subway musicians but that intensity of hearing them perform this all live exists and cannot be denied.
By the end of Side A you will have heard them sing about how they don't want to be on the radio (and I remember when all bands wanted to be on the radio, but that doesn't seem like such a thing anymore) as well as a lot of cowbell. That cowbell will carry over into Side B as well, as we open with some trumpet fueled rock somewhere between "Taps" and Cake but all around groovy. It all boils over into this rowdy, chaotic party of rock music mixed with something else but I just imagine there being a lot of nudity and drugs (but mostly nudity)
A saxophone brings about some more of that drumming I keep telling you about, someone is talking in the background and there are these weird clicks I can't describe. More singing comes through and they're just really belting it out here. If RxBandits is still a band, could Comfort Food go on tour with them, please? I'd suggest As Tall As Lions for someone to tour with but I know they're not a band anymore, sadly. In any case, you do need to be listening to this cassette if you haven't already gathered that from all of my other ramblings.
No comments:
Post a Comment