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THE BASTARDIZED COUNTRY CARNIVAL by Attic Ted
(Attic Ted / PO Box 434 / San Marcos, TX / 78667 USA.
E-mail)
Review by Ben T. Steckler
Take a look at the name of this trio from San Marcos, TX. If you can see the play on words there, you'll have a first clue at the narcotic nature of their music. It's an hallucinogenic ride on a carousel organ hosted by stuffed pink poodles at a carnival game. Those toy prizes have taken over their asylum above the rafters. This is the background music that rings in Tim Burton's ears, and like any good drug, it can both hook you, and make you nauseous from the spinning.
When I first listened to Attic Ted, I heard bits of Tin Huey, fragments of The Residents, and a little New Duncan Imperials, with vocals definitely evoking Peter Murphy. I could have sworn they were even going to launch into Mitch Ryder's "Mo-Mo-Mo-Jane" on the first self-titled track. While I hear many influences, the end result is a unique and interesting sound, a blend of Cow-Punk, Electronica, and performance art that's hard to fit into any descriptive genre. For me, the sound works the best when they keep up a mid-tempo Honky-tonk beat, such as on "Transformer", "Arachnaphobia", "Riot" and "Oh No".
Looking at the photos of the band included, they wear hand-drawn masks during their show. The artwork on the masks is slightly surreal, of an underground comics style similar to work seen in new art-comic faves like
Kramers Ergot. That's appropriate, as one of the better instrumental tracks on the disc is called "Ergot". Ergot is a disease of Rye, in case you didn't know, and it produces an alkaloid used to treat migraines. So I
suppose if too much Rye gives you a hangover, Ergot is the cure. (Ugh. The puns in that last line make my head spin.)
I enjoyed this visit to the carnival, except for the slower instrumental numbers, which degenerated into a brand of performance art that dragged on to masturbatory excess. The two last tracks, "Hopper's Encore", and "Farewell Ferris Wheel" seem like they were added as afterthoughts, particularly since the track before is called "The End". This track is an andante number with wailing vocals that provides a fitting finale. The other two tracks are an unnecessary denouement, perhaps they mark the time when you gather up the kiddies, grab a last candy apple, and head back to the car before they turn the lights off, let the demons out of the funhouse, and open the bottles for the ride operators.
But there are 14 good tracks before those last two, and that's why CD players have track skip buttons. If you can handle seeing yourself reflected in the funhouse mirror, and you don't puke on the tilt-a-whirl, you could enjoy a visit to this weird musical carnival. The Fried Oreos are to die for.
[
FYI: Attic Ted is brought to you by some of the folks behind the Proper Gander
anthology of "anti-comics and stories". –Ricko]
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