Search - Pop Will Eat Itself :: Dos Dedos Mis Amigos

They don't make it like this anymore.

Robert J. Steele | Phoenix, AZ United States | 06/02/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's true, they don't. This music is from a small period in the early 90's. About the same time NIN released Downward Spiral. For me, it brings back memories, but this is some really good stuff.Like others, I was introduced to PWEI through a single viewing of the "Ich Bin Ein Auslander" music video. It's an a great anarchic song, dense with noise and surprisingly danceable. By the time the female chanting kicks in at the end, everybody is far beyond grooving.Speaking of groovy, "Familius Horribilus" is a surprisingly funky addition to this CD. Sure, it's about the royal family of the time, but ignore the lyrics and get down with the boogie. (Get down with the boogie?)There are other standouts on this CD. "Fatman" has one of the cruelest choruses I've heard in a song. ("Pretty little people grow up to stay thin.") "Home" and "Everything's Cool" are both darkly melodic, driving tunes. "Cape Connection" is the best of a sort of techno no longer made. "Babylon" still gives me chills.As I've alluded, this music isn't timeless. It's part of a very specific time. (Listen, I remember playing the original Doom to this CD.) But for what it is, it's very good. Sort of a link between late 80's early 90's techno, and the darker, more industrial NIN. If you enjoy any of these brands of music, you owe it to yourself to give this CD and this group a listen."

Well Above Average

spalding177 | Indianapolis | 08/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have not heard PWEI's other work, but from what I have heard, this is their most serious album. Ich bin ein Auslander is a great track that caught my attention on the radio a few years back. I left this CD on the bottom of a stack for some unknown reason and now I can't get it out of my CD player. Reasonably hard or more psychedelic guitar riffs tie in nicely to infectious beats on nearly every track. As noted by other reviewers, the lyrics are solid and insightful. The first two tracks are very energetic, and familus horriblus is all out funky. Underbelly and Fatman are both guitar driven and full of social commentary. Home is more tripped-out and techno but still enjoyable. Cape Connection has a very hard driven beat and would be good in a club. Meanoffearthereaper is SOOOO cool and funky -- occasional spoken word over yet another great beat, with added keyboards to keep it interesting. Everything's Cool is another rocker, and a good one at that. RSVP is my least favorite track; it really seems to be filler to me, though it is tolerable. It is more punk than the rest of the CD and doesn't fit in. The closing track is a slow ambient song that is mellowing if not outstanding. Overall, the quality contained in the first nine songs is great and the last two songs are, well, ok, but they don't detract from the rest of the album. Pertinent lyrics, combined with solid riffing, and terrific beats -- not many albums can claim that. If you can find it, GET IT IMMEDIATELY."

The pinnacle of British industrial rap

Wheelchair Assassin | The Great Concavity | 02/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dear God, I can't believe a band this good never got popular. "Dos Dedos Mis Amigos," PWEI's last album, is an exercise in genre-bending brilliance, sometimes furious, sometimes funky, and often both. The hard-edged sound of industrial is most prominent, but there's also an obvious hip-hop influence and some dashes of metal thrown in just for good measure. Of course, none of these qualities lend themselves to commercial success, but "Dos Dedos Mis Amigos" is easily one of the most intelligent albums I've had the pleasure of hearing in a long time. To steal a quote from Forrest Gump, this album is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get. And did I mention that they're British? For some strange reason, everything seems to sound better with a British accent.The politically-charged opener "Ich Bin Ein Auslander," and "Fatman" are ominous in both sound and lyrical content, with aggressive raps backed by thunderous industrial beats that should have Ministry fans grinning from ear to ear. In contrast, the smooth rapping and jazzy tone of "Familus Horribilus" slow things for a more laid-back, even funky, feel. The electrified rave-up of "Cape Connection" is actually danceable, and it's nicely followed up by the dub-tinged atmospherics of the seven-minute "Menofearthereaper." On the masterful "Everything's Cool," Clint Mansell and Graham Crabb alternate their menacing voices over a dizzying musical background complete with snatches of distorted metallic riffage. The angular rhythms of the anthemic "R.S.V.P." are sure to get heads banging in no time, while "Babylon" closes out the proceedings with a quiet, though still eerie, sound. In conclusion, all I can say is that albums don't get much better than this one. Mainstream music seems to be getting stupider by the minute, so it's really too bad these guys didn't catch on. We could use them right about now. I also recommend Ministry and Strapping Young Lad for fans of this album."