Search - Fudge Tunnel :: In a Word

For completists, purists and the curious

10/30/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Hmm...At first glance this is a bit of a suspect package. Five songs from Hate Songs and five from Diets. None from Complicated Futility. Could be dangerous...But no. This is the album to buy if you are curious about Fudge Tunnel, but don't want to be a big fan. Most of the tracks here are live songs or are Peel sessions, but that isn't the scam you would think it is. The songs take on a whole new dimension live, primarily because they are far heavier and grindier than on the albums. 'Grey' and 'Spanish Fly' stand out especially, and as a bonus on 'Grey', the band included the announcer coming on and telling everyone about the evening. It sounds like a boxing match but Alex gives a cunning shot of sarcasm before they kick in. The bands hard to find first single, 'Sex Mammoth', is included, and it is not hard to see why it achieved single of the week on its debut. Of the covers (of which there are two), the one you should pay attention to is the cover of 'Changes',originally by Black Sabbath. If you remember, it was a lovely piano ditty. But Fudge Tunnel have other ideas, and thus it becomes a seven minute grindcore session, containing about twenty seconds of the original music. If you are a completist (like me), buy this. It is quite satisfactory and well worth the price, and the photos inside are good. The only thing that stops this getting 5 stars is that there is nothing off Complicated Futility, which would have been a 'hoot'."