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Album review: Gruff Rhys & Tony Da Gatorra - The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 3:48pm |
Tony Da Gatorra vs Gruff Rhys - The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness
If ever a thorough introduction to an album was warranted, it is here. Not for Gruff Rhys off course. When he is not receiving Mercury Music Prize nominations for concept albums about the DeLorean Motor Company with Neon Neon, he is the lead singer of experimental rock stalwarts Super Furry Animals. He does occasionally also find enough time to fit in the odd solo Welsh-language record, but enough about him.
Now, introducing Tony Da Gatorra. An incredible man with an outrageous moustache and a bizarre musical instrument (check him, his crumb catcher and the instrument out here). Rumours are abound that, the spectacularly titled, The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness was recorded in five hours after under a weeks worth of rehearsals.
So, the introductions are over, the video has been watched and, as a result, expectations are not particularly high. From the get-go you realise, if you hadn't already, that things are going to get a little bit strange on TTOCL. Album opener O Que Tu Tem sets the pace with a cacophony of seven minutes (yes seven minutes) worth of weird drums, scathing guitars and Da Gatorra's wailing vocals. So far so strange.
Then along comes In A House With No Mirrors in which we are reintroduced to Rhys familiar drawl, riffs and lyrical content, "In a house with no mirrors / You'll never get old / In a room full of turtles / you stood on a toad", which gives hope for purpose and at least some cohesion.
It is, however, a fleeting hope as the rest of the album drags along somewhere between these two tracks, never quite as good as In A House With No Mirrors but thankfully never quite as bad as O Que Tu Tem.
The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness is a must hear-album for fans of Gruff Rhys, people who enjoy abstract/mental music, or fans of funny men with facial hair and daft instruments. 6/10
Gary Evans
