The first time I heard Uncle Outrage I thought it was the most ridiculous things that had ever been blasted out of my speakers, and in a way they still are. What we've got here is 4 nobodies from the frozen wastelands of the Central Albertan prairie city of Edmonton firing off ironic, schizophrenic anti-punk anthems caught up in all kinds blips, bleeps and electro madness.
Singer Nils goes off the hook adopting all kinds of vocal manipulation from song to song, and more often than not on one track alone. He spits out some strange stanzas dripping with so much inventive sarcasm that he relentlessly takes the piss out of everything from Nelly and hardcore to `77 punks and the environment. All of his manic delivery is backed up by some pulsing, fuzzed out guitars and a very hairy keyboard player who adds a new kind of pizzaz to punk rock. There are samples taken from various sources, much like they have been adopted in hip-hop, and are layered throughout the album adding to the already baffling sonic grab bag of programmed beats.
Not all of the songs are winners though. Every so often while scanning through the 17 tracks you'll come across something that just isn't working, something that is almost great but it doesn't quite get there and teeters on the line of annoying and passable. But when Uncle Outrage is on, they are fucking ON my friends. This isn't exactly the most accessible album released; a lot of people probably won't get or more likely won't want to get it, but I'm in love with their fresh sound and expect great things from these guys in the future.
MP3
Octopus Angel
Environment
King of the Kangaroos
Lovin' the Physics