Penpushers - Poltergeeks
by Daniel Cressey
published: 27 / 11 / 2006
Label:
Kfm
Format: CD
intro
Off the wall, often space wasting latest album from Edinburgh-based hip hop outfit, Penpushers
If you can name more than three Scottish hip-hop groups you’re a better man than me. But here are the Penpushers – an Edinburgh collective – back again to try and show us there are decent breakbeats further north than Leeds. On their latest album they succeed in this only occasionally. At their best –on tracks like ‘Fairy Press’ – they come on with a pared-down, almost spoken word take on hip hop reminiscent of Buck 65 filtered through Edinburgh’s pavements. They also have a suitably atmospheric and moody set of creepy, sampled instrumentals akin of DJ Shadow in his more film soundtrack moments. Unfortunately at other points it sounds like a lo-fi recording of a bunch of mates in a Leith pub having a laugh. The short joke-tracks ‘Broken Man’ and ‘Goodman Speakers are Shit!’ seem to be the Penpushers’ answer to the tedious skits that litter most rap albums. They are as un-involving as the majority of those. Equally space-wasting – and unfortunately not as short – are the tracks where guest female vocals have been laid over promising ingredients, the one mistake that ruins your dining pleasure. This is worth seeking out if you have an interest in off the wall rap. Fans of Dr Octagon for instance will find shadowy echoes of that crazed inventiveness here. But this seems unlikely to set up Edinburgh as the new East Coast just yet.
Track Listing:-
1 Hero Today Gone Tomorrow2 Forever Miscellaneous + Misunderstood
3 Fear Not The Accusations of A Thousand Index Fingers...
4 Broken Man
5 Fairy Press
6 Breathe Deeply
7 Silicon Infants
8 Fair Weather Friend
9 Goodman Speakers Are Shit!
10 Mermaids Tail
11 Victim of a Car Crash
12 Poltergeeks
live reviews |
|
Zaphod Beeblebrox, Ottawa, 26/11/2006 |
|
| Singer-songwriter Emm Gryner has backed David Bowie, toured with the Cardigans and been lauded by U2’s Bono for 'Almighty Love'. At a show at Zaphod Beeblebrox in Ottawa Andrew Carver finds her talents as a performer impressive, but at the same time is not entirely convinced by her |
bandcamp
most viewed articles
current edition
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.Dennis Tufano - Copernicus Center, Chicago, 19/7/2024
Elliott Murphy - Interview
Wreckless Eric - Interview
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #16: Living in the Minds of Strangers
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #17: Tom Robinson
Adrian Gurvitz - Interview
Norman Rodger - Interview
Chris Spedding - Interview
Penumbra - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Groovy Uncle - Making ExcusesPhilip Parfitt - The Dark Light
Jules Winchester - The Journey
Deep Purple - =1
Bill Wyman - Drive My Car
Ross Couper Band - The Homeroad
Hawkestrel - Chaos Rocks
John Murry and Michael Timmins - A Little Bit of Grace and Decay
Popstar - Obscene
Splashgirl and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe - More Human
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart