Circus Devils: Mother Skinny

Circus Devils
Mother Skinny
Happy Jack Rock Records [2010]









Fire Note Says: Pollard + Tobias² = Art rock at its best!

Album Review:
So if you are into the Circus Devils, you are going to be into their eighth record Mother Skinny. Forget the more acoustic outings on Gringo [2009]. Forget the highlighted rock moments on ATAXIA [2008]. Mother Skinny is just plain sinister art rock, that will keep your ear to your speaker so that you don't miss a beat. Robert Pollard has never sounded more scary with his evil cackle on "Germ Circus" or his stretched out slow delivery in "Lurking", which feels like he is literally and weirdly right behind you. Of course it is one thing to just have Bob freaking you out a bit with his lyrical wordplay but now add in the masters of noise called Tobias and their knack for instrumentation. On Mother Skinny their work is in full force, as there is plenty of manipulation of vocals and many additional screeches and scratches throughout the album. The record is more of a return to their earlier art focused form but adds in very strong thumping beats and guitar riffs, that absolutely drive each of the twenty tracks down your throat. Once again, Mother Skinny is a record that separates itself from the Circus Devil's vast catalog and will be a fun ride for anybody who dares to put it in their player!

Key Tracks: "Lurking", "Bam Bam Bam", "A Living Necklace Of Warts"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Liars
Deerhoof
Man Man

Circus Devils: A Riot Of Gold Teeth 2001-2010 [Fire Note Review 3/5/10]
Circus Devils: Gringo [Fire Note Review 4/7/09]
Circus Devils: ATAXIA [Fire Note Review 9/24/08]
Circus Devils: Sgt. Disco [Fire Note Review 9/17/07]

Official Circus Devils Website
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Happy Jack Rock Records

-Reviewed by Aidan Rox