Cassette Review // Casper Heyzeus "Turn Loose The Ducks" (Ice Cream For Crow)

£7 //
Edition of 35 //
https://icecreamforcrow.bandcamp.com/album/casper-heyzeus-turn-loose-the-ducks //

It is nice to know that after writing about music for something like twenty years I can still hear things that make me go "I haven't quite heard that before" and also I can reference music I heard early on in my writing days that people might not still understand the references to right now (In this case, I would compare Casper Hezeus with Adverse Side-FX)  When I see the name Casper Heyzeus I think about the "Die Hard" film with Samuel L. Jackson because he corrects Bruce Willis' character by saying someone said to him "Hey, Zeus".   Does anyone else get that?  I think that was the third or fourth "Die Hard" film as well, yet it's the one I've seen/like the most.

Right away, this sounds like The B-52's and Oingo Boingo.  It's drum machines and synths, then sweet guitar riffs come in.   On closer inspection, yes, there is a line that says: "Have you ever masturbated to a picture of your best friend's wife?"  I don't really have a best friend and if I had to think about it, my best friend probably doesn't have a wife but if I had a best friend with a wife, sure, why not, I probably would have at some point.   I think we all have, just some of us won't admit it so freely.

The second song is a slower jam with pianos and it's like the Love Boat but he's singing about Joey.    This takes us into what could be considered punk, as it's hard rocking, and I even think of some combination of Weird Al and The Offspring (both of which work so well)   There is this bassline now which makes me think of "Fraggle Rock" but then it switches into a song which reminds me of Elvis.   There is this 70's chicka chicka wah wah guitar riffs and it's about staring at screens which I know I do far too much.   It's a great way to be anti-social as well though, so...

During a dance number he begins singing about "pee pee and poopy" because the song is about how he's in love with this woman when he sees her but she smells like a toilet.   It's a little bit like the Vandals "But Then She Spoke".   In a jungle boogie number- complete with horns and all- Casper Heyzeus rhymes "gringo" with "Ringo" and that's pretty funny.   The flip side starts with electro dance pop and has a song called "The More I See" which is about everyone's favorite member of The Smiths.

Funky horns bring on "Juice Bag", which is about the Juice Man and it's sly.   I want this to be a very specific type of animated music video.   Pianos now and I'm feeling the Violent Femmes as it's got that acoustic appeal.   At times, this also reminds me of My Pleasure but that might also just be because of how much I listen to My Pleasure, but yes, a split between those two artists covering each others songs would be delightful.

As this reminds me of the Breakfast Club, there is a namedropping of the "Lilo & Stitch" movie.  A creepy drive takes us into hard mosh chords and somehow this all ends with a fun pop punk song.    Mostly all guitars, mostly all rock, this cassette is as diverse as it is bold and it's just one of those sounds you won't soon forget.    There is quite a bit going on throughout this entire cassette but I bet after listening to it even once you'll get something stuck in your head for your next thousand listens.