Search - Beatnik Filmstars :: All Popstars Are Talentless Slags

Wet Sounds or Pet Sounds?

noisyspoon | Colorado, US of A | 01/16/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Pop music is a subjective thing. When someone says "pop music", maybe you think of Ricky Martin or Britney Spears. Maybe you think of the masters, like Henry Mancini or Neil Diamond. And you would be right, these are all fine examples of "pop music". Let's broaden the defanition. Pop music: The final product of formed or aranged sounds. Catchy hooks. Sticky melodies.Beatnik Filmstars make pop music. The Beach Boys make pop music. Both write catchy pop 'songs', and much like the Beach Boys, the boys in Beatnik Filmstars ejoy a little experimentation in the mix. The only difference is, the Beatnik Filmstars like it noisy, messy, and twisted. If I had to quickly aproximate their sound, I'd say it's much like Guided By Voices in a violent battle with a blender... and the blender wins.'All Popstars are Talentless Slags' begins with the completely fuzzed-out 'Wasted'. It's got all the makings of perfect lo-fi pop, sloppy guitars, scuzzy vocals, and lots of feedback. As if that were'nt enough, the boys follow it up with the completely tweaked swagger of "Pilot Jack Harrison". This stuff just makes me completely hyper. Whenever I listen to this EP, I feel the urge to run up walls, hang from the trak lighting, and jump on my bed. The rest of 'All Popstars...' is just as perfect. There isn't a sour song in the batch. "The Hopeless Will Do Battle" is not coincidentaly dedicated to Bob Pollard, it's a grand noise-pop freak out in the fine tradition of Guided By Voices. "13th Annual Showdown" mixes jangly guitar with videogame keyboard soundtrack melodies and a danceable beat. This is highly reccomended for pop lovers as well as the lo-fi crowd."