You could be forgiven for expecting something naïve, confrontational or bratty and trashy from a band called Manflu. While the London quintet certainly display a certain irreverence for convention and culture, ‘Joys of Life’ is sharp both musically and in terms of wit.
The first track, ‘Wizard’ is a choppy explosion that owes more to early Wire than to any of the obvious ‘punk’ acts. It’s a fair indication of what Manflu are all about: punk in attitude, but post-punk in terms of sound and aesthetic, they’re a cut above the lumpen three-chord thumpers in every way.
‘Keep it Simple’ doesn’t heed its own advice – and that’s a good thing. Weaving atmospheric synths around a surprisingly grooved-up bass line, Aza Shade’s vocals employ classic post-punk tropes a al Siouxsie Soux to create a perfectly poised dynamic tension. ‘James Chance Coronary’ is a woozy blend of spiky guitars, dubby subterranean bass and fairground organs. Veering wildly between the zany and the dark, Manflu show they’re not afraid to throw things into the melting pot, and the results more than justify it all.
|
‘Max Keiser’ sounds like The Fall fronted by Poly Styrene, and the ten-minute ‘Tek’ sounds like a Krautrock reimagining of The Fall’s ‘Before the Moon Falls’ as performed by Daleks. It doesn’t get much cooler than that.
Manflu Online
|
