Iron Chic

Spooky Action [7-inch] (2013)

Superskabro

For an "orgcore" band, Iron Chic have displayed some impressive self-control with their ironic song titling. This restraint makes their more preposterous song titles a bit more meaningful. As one of the strongest and one of the most peculiarly titled ("Spooky Action" is a reference to Albert Einstein's skeptical assessment of Quantum Entanglement as "Spukhafte Fernwirkung" or "spooky action at a distance") tracks from 2013's The Constant One, "Spooky Action At A Distance" was an obvious candidate for the single treatment.

Many singles culled from LPs seem superfluous but the wealth of tracks on Spooky Action make it all worth while. The 7-inch kicks off with an alternate version of the title track. While the single version is missing the infectious chiptunes lead-in found on the album version, the song is just as hard-hitting. And it proves that Iron Chic doesn't need cheap gimmicks to make songs work.

Next up on side A is the non-album track, "Less Rest For The Restless." The track is just as good as anything off of The Constant One and is worth checking out for anyone hungry for more Iron Chic.

Side B is a lot of fun in that it contains two covers. The first of which is "Goofy's Concern," originally by Butthole Surfers. While the song is a fine BHS track, the lead riff, which remains intact for the Iron Chic version, does not quite fit in with the Iron Chic sound. It's a fun cover but does not feel like an Iron Chic song.

The next cover, on the other hand, has been adequately Iron Chic'd. "Bonzo Goes To Bitburg," one of The Ramones' few politically-charged tracks, works perfectly in the hands of the Chic gang. It works as an Iron Chic track while retaining its Ramones-ness.

Unless you're a 7-inch person, most 7-inches don't make sense buying, no matter how big of a fan you are. Spooky Action, however, serves not only as a supplement to "The Constant One," but it whets one's appetite for more.