Dr. StrangeLuv - Sissypuss
(2010; self-released)
The “Ingenious Bastards” that comprise retro-futurist serial collagists Dr. StrangeLuv, El Scum and Grandi0s0, attempt to concoct some potent “space-age blues funk” cocktail with their debut (and as of the time of writing, only) effort Sissypuss. Astonishingly, albeit unsurprisingly, these two “noir-ish screwballs” succeed in executing their scheme but not without large doses of anachronistic pastiche, dark oddball humor, and cinematic references, all delivered with their distinctly sleazy pizzazz.
I don’t have a copy of the album in full but Sissypuss exists in two iterations online: one on Bandcamp, the other on Soundcloud. The former lists five songs whereas the latter has six songs and only three appear in both versions (I am told that the original physical copy has twenty tracks overall). Aside from not having (legal) access to the full album, I decided it would be a lot more reasonable to review the digitally accessible than the hard-to-obtain-if-not-unobtainable.
Sissypuss would make more sense when viewed as a flexible structure composed of modules instead of the linear sequence albums utilize by default—the difference in song selection and track listing between the two editions does not point to two contrasting entities with significantly distinct narrative arcs or manners of flow, rather, they are identical splinters of a whole. The specific units and order isn’t as crucial a facet considering that each song is treated as an autonomous capsule, a single shot sampling and embodying their mutant sci-fi blues-funk and pop culture-obsessed chimera of a sound.
The triad of “Gimme Some Mo’”, “Be the Boss”, and “Aight ‘Ma”, the three songs present in both versions, shows the chameleonic transitions in style (sometimes within one song) favored by the band.
The first track best exemplifies their signature “space-age blues funk”, where reverb-and-tremolo-drenched surf-inflected guitars interact with playful xylophones/glockenspiels and a skittering beat; a perfect accompaniment to some non-existent Tarantino-directed Bond film.
“Be the Boss”, on the other hand, starts off as Tropicalia-on-turbo-mode before scurrying into detuned lunacy towards a semi-buildup (which for a lack of references, brings to mind The White Stripes) onto psychedelia-infused quasi-noise rock before finally jumping back into the orgiastic amphetamine-fueled two-chord Tropicalia.
Aside from being the sparsest song, “Aight ‘Ma” is the sole acoustic track in both versions of Sissypuss—a narco-country anthem akin to The Strangeness’ slower material—comprised solely of vocals, an acoustic guitar, a harmonica, and a sample mid-way through the song.
“Sarcasm, Spasm”, another country-influenced track, is exclusive to the Bandcamp edition. Simultaneously laidback and upbeat, “Sarcasm, Spasm” features a slide intro (my bandmate mentioned the song reminded him of Pavement’s “Range Life”. I find it hard to disagree) eventually implementing heavily-processed guitar noise, sound effects, and a plethora of samples, catching listeners off-guard.
The duo channels Mellow Gold/Odelay-era Beck, Cibo Matto, and Beastie Boys in their rap-influenced, Pulp Fiction and Black Sabbath-referencing, ultra-collage “Hola, Hijo De Puta (The Degüello Song)”. The track is a testament to the band’s capacity to be stylistically agile, shifting from one genre to another, charting a spectrum spanning sci-fi hip hop, funk, swing jazz, calypso, and awkward dance music.
“I’m Dynamite (f5ck, s6x, hea7en, h8te)”, the fourth song on the Soundcloud mix, is reminiscent of old-school hardcore punk. Unfortunately, it sticks out like a sore thumb for sounding dry and thin compared to the other, more texturally dense and nuanced tracks on Sissypuss (“I’m Dynamite”, I believe, suits SL4u6th3rh0u53 IV or STIGMATICS better).
The Velvet Underground’s “Sunday Morning” is re-animated on the languid and melancholic “I’m Still Breathing?”, rivaling “Gimme Some Mo’” in terms of insidious catchiness and raw appeal whereas the final track on the Soundcloud version, “Stained Gown”, is relatively sparse as well, finding it irresistible to describe the track as “Ryan/Gary Jarman goes Americana”.
The slick production and kaleidoscopic studio trickery betrays the duo’s keen attention to detail despite all the “mistakes” present in the album—all jagged edges, sudden tonal detours, hisses, screeches, and inebriated slurs point to the temperament that, if ever they aren’t deliberate in the first place, they certainly aren’t worth giving a shit. The album emphasizes spontaneity over surgical precision, Dionysian frenzy over prodigious technical skill.
It is no secret that Dr. StrangeLuv worships cinema in all its seedy glamour. Numerous salutes are paid to Kubrick and Tarantino, the album’s title can pass off as the name of a Bond villain, the album cover is an amalgam of icons from B-movie posters, and most of the song titles are fit to be the names of cult classics. Visually and aurally, the charm of the campier side of cinema permeates the album and helps define the band’s identity.
However, this fascination with B-movies isn’t a mere appropriation of its superficial aesthetic qualities—Sissypuss makes no attempt in becoming ground-and-or-record-breaking, rather, it emphasizes adventurous entertainment, both risky and risqué, unashamedly oozing with kitsch and grit.
Citing comparisons and other artists is certainly not meant to imply that the band is derivative. On the contrary, the band is highly original and idiosyncratic in their approach to song arrangement. Most of the references made were fictional, constructed by yours truly, solely in an attempt to describe their songs. Besides, Dr. StrangeLuv’s more-than-frequent use of pastiche—acknowledging their influences be it Kerouac, Camus, or Samuel L. Jackson—isn’t a display of utter plagiarism ergo unoriginality, for they contort this diverse pool of inspiration to churn out tracks distinctly theirs. The band’s artistic process, which is fundamentally intertextual, proves that references/comparisons/parallels aren’t reserved for the uninventive.
Unpretentiously postmodern, Dr. StrangeLuv discovers fresh territory by reverting to the past and subjecting them to a bricolage via both analog and digital methods. Although I appreciate their subtler material (e.g. “Aight ‘Ma”, “Stained Gown”) for they indeed exhibit clever songwriting, I believe the band is most promising when they craftily utilize a cut-and-paste approach as heard on “Be the Boss”, “I’m Still Breathing?”, “Gimme Some Mo’”, and “Sarcasm, Spasm!” (but overdone on “Hola, Hijo De Puta (The Degüello Song)”) since they are the lone rangers in the contemporary arena of pop-schizoid retromania—unprecedented and presently, uncontested.
Sissypuss
Bandcamp tracklist:
Hola, Hijo De Puta (The Degüello Song)
I’m Dynamite (f5ck, s6x, hea7en, h8te)
Others: The Strangeness, STIGMATICS, SL4u6ht3rh0u53 IV, early Beck, Cibo Matto, Beastie Boys (to some extent), Ween, The Velvet Underground, Tom Waits’ Rain Dogs, Pavement’s Wowee Zowee, Captain Beefheart’s Trout Mask Replica, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Stanley Kubrick, Quentin Tarantino
Available for purchase here: https://drstrangeluv.bandcamp.com/ and here: https://soundcloud.com/drstrangeluv/sets/dr-strangeluv-sissypuss-1
