published: 3 /
3 /
2004
Label:
Mint
Format: CD
Latest offering from Canada's the Buttless Chaps, who, swinging between country and electronica, continue to "appear to be two bands in one body"
Review
A little while back, I was privileged to witness the chaps from the Chaps perform at the Dominion Tavern in Ottawa (opening for The Asteroid No. 4). After some Calexico-style mariachi music, lead singer Dave Gowans put down his banjo and picked up the mike for a fairly straight-faced rendition of Styx’s 'Mr. Roboto'. The Buttless Chaps would appear to be two bands in one body (or four bodies — the group’s a quartet). We have country music, a la opener '18 Rabbits' ... then we have 'Numan' — as in Gary. We have 'Brotherhood',a Sergio Leone-style tale of revenge, and the Vocoder-driven android-girl duet 'Love This Time.
I’m not sure if it’s actually possible to mix 1980's style electronic music with country “hurtin’ songs for robots", but the band does both sides of its personality well, and the combination is at least mildly intriguing and usually tuneful.
Track Listing:-
1
18 Rabbits
2
Love This Time
3
Babbles
4
Lonely Hearts
5
Fresh Horses
6
Shuttle Systems
7
Banjee
8
Plain Wrench
9
Numan
10
Kinda Empty
11
Brotherhood