Roger - This Is The Shit

  by Andrew Carver

published: 24 / 10 / 2004

Label: Head Heritage
Format: CD

intro

Funky, but effective half Parliament, half Queens of the Stone Age weirdness on the debut album from the eccentric Roger, released on Julian Cope’s Head Heritage label

Beaming down from the top of Britain’s loftiest peak (or something like that) is Roger, a group composed of dwarves, Finns, albinos, the tiger that mauled that Las Vegas illusionist (erm, really?) and people with names like J. Edgar Hoova and “The Docktor”. So, is Roger, a man, a myth, a band?!? Main brain of this funky odyssey – this quest, if you will -- would appear to be fuzz bassist and lead vocalist Astley Le Jasper. This weirdness -- half Parliament, half Queens of the Stone Age -- was brought to the public’s ears and frontal lobes by Julian Cope’s Head Heritage label, but despite the laser beams and fuck-you-George-W.’s he isn’t a member -- just a good friend. On the oddity meter it isn’t quite George Clinton descending from the mothership – more big bass buzz than space out sci fi trip – and the fonk (sic … passable spelling and good beats never met) messiah storyline is a bit half baked (by comparison, I think the band may be completely baked) but whaddaya want, Shakespeare? File the raspy toasting of The General under acquired taste, but otherwise the album is a real mover.

Track Listing:-