Cassette Review // THE ATTITUDE ROBOTS "We Shall Overcompensate" (Crass Lips Records)

$6 //
https://crasslipsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/we-shall-overcompensate //

We start with a wild instrumental ride.    This goes into a darker, faster song which reminds me of something from the "Bleach" era of Nirvana.   As it breaks down like a car crash I'm also somehow reminded of a car chase.   The next song comes in a bit more upbeat, like an old cartoon soundtrack, and it just feels like something you want to get up and dance to.    Horns are in this chaos and the cymbals just thrash.

Though these songs are instrumentals, the music itself sings.   It's not often (but it does happen) but after listening to this more than one time, you hit this point where you're able to sing along and make up your own words or just be able to sing sounds and not words.   We continue in the upbeat, almost surf like quality of songs now, which make me think of both "Wipeout" and "Louie Louie".   We then do find a song with lyrics, as they are singing about drinking coffee, and I stand by what I typed about this being instrumental even in hindsight.

Are computers really the worst thing in the world?  One thing I don't like about computers- as is true with most aspects of technology- is that they are built to be outdated.   You can't just buy one computer and use it for the rest of your life, you know, have it update constantly to fit the current needs of the world.  Eventually, your laptop will be out of date and there will be certain things which you want to do and can't, so you'll be forced into buying a new one.   It's always been weird to have that technology where you build it to fail.

At times, musically, this reminds me of the theme to "Pee Wee's Playhouse".   It's just so much fun.  I want The Attitude Robots to cover that song or create an equally whacky television series or movie to go with their music.    We then get into this winding sound, somewhere between blues and country.    We dive deep into some singing now but I don't quite hear lyrics.  A little bit of screaming comes in with the singing and this one just takes off in such a way that I haven't heard yet on this cassette and that's saying a lot because it's been pretty wild so far.

On the flip side we open with what sounds like free jazz.  It reminds me of this book store I like to go to in MA.     The way this just blares through makes me feel like it's improv but it's just so good and it even goes back to that surf sound from the first side.    There is some yelling again and this just picks up to where it felt like it left off on the first side now.   Claps are going to make you want to get up and dance to the rhythm or at least trash your local chain store.    We drop off in such a weird way but come right back up and if you're listening to this one I hope you're doing something active.

We break down into singing again now and it feels like we're in a darker place now.   The percussion just seems to grow to the point where it takes over the entire sound, like a wave, and then it goes back into these almost math rock type of guitars.   There is a little bit of FBTMOF in here as well, but less heavy.   Somehow that brings us to the end of the second side and it felt like it just went by so fast- every time.  I don't expect it to end as quickly as it does, but that just means you can go through and listen to it again and again, picking up on little pieces you might have missed the first or third time.