Hoovers & Sledgehammers
Sex offenders in Your MEdicine Cabinet-
Dublin's Hoovers & Sledgehammers may be of more use to the Cat Laughs
Festival than Electric Picnic. Purveyors of a sort of Gonzo punk, one
particularly prevalent on the underground scene in Australia, the band delight
in offending and goading with tongue and cheek. With song titles like "Brian
Eno's Anus" and "Stephen Hawkings Wheelchair" the tone throughout is very much
"I'm mad me". Affected vocal styles (the rolling R's on mental anger are just
tiring) and potty mouth lyrics- "Do you wanna stalk someone famous, do you wanna
stick your dick in her anus?" they enquire in "kill your way into legend- are
backed up by some fairly dextrous musicianmanship. Igor Honey's unpredictable
bass shines in particular, especially when he's left to it on tracks like
"acting casual on tablets". Yes it's all very subversive and smarmy, and will
even raise a chuckle on the first couple of listens, but maybe Hoovers &
Sledgehammers will have to take themselves a bit more seriously before any of us
will. Spoofers.
Adam White
3.5/5