Music Review // Ungus Ungus Ungus "The Fun House"

Having an album titled "The Fun House" makes me feel like it's going to sound a certain way and this does not disappoint.   Feeling like you've just stepped into the circus sets the tone for the beginning of this album.  At times, the horns come through and make me think of ska, but it also just has those spooky-scary vibes as well.  For the first few songs when I feel this way, I think of artists such as Squirrel Nut Zippers, who I don't compare with other artists a lot so this makes this feel pretty special.

As the album goes on, the sound of Ungus Ungus Ungus evolves.  Through big horn solos there are sing along vibes.  The third song, "Dr Quiet", has these sounds like water drops you'd make with your mouth as well as big synths.  "Wishes Three" leans more into the jazz and soul, but by the time we cross into the second half of this album- with "Secret Track"- the songs become more music than lyrics and they're just a lot of fun.  

In fact the first song is about having fun to the point where the lyrics say: "Have you ever had fun? I have / I have".  Though they also mention how when you stop having fun you become sad.  And then on the second song, "Poltergeist", the lyrics say: "You haunt me like you're already dead".  So I feel like this sort of lures you in with the bright colors and sounds, the way that a circus might, but then turns into something darker and closer to the genre of horror than a comedy.

But by the end it just feels relaxing, like we're at peace.  I think some of these songs on the first half could be singles, but overall the songs are likely what they call "too long for radio" and just feeling the way in which this whole tone is connected from start to finish I'd feel incomplete only picking out one song to listen to at a time.  This is definitely the type of album that works best when listened to from start to finish and after listening you may never quite be the same.