The Glimmers - Presents Disko Drunkards

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  • There's very little "new" about this album. In fact, quite the opposite: most of The Glimmers Present Disko Drunkards resembles early-'70s rock-gone-funky and/or funk-gone-rocking. The guitars are hard and spiky: lots of rough chicka-chicka-chicka rhythm, slashing chords (see "1973," which, oddly enough, resembles 1986 a lot more) and languid wah-wah ("Grover"). The drums are big, slamming, simple. It sounds really good immediately, and stays there. On last year's ear-opening, Glimmers co-compiled Poplife Presents Poplife Sucks compilation, the selections are airtight but the feel is blessedly loose. When I reviewed that comp here, a commenter left a note—"This is what Ghent is all about." Disko Drunkards is the same way. There's something slaphappy about the way that both The Glimmers and 2 Many DJ's/Soulwax use pop history as fodder—like dough that is being molded as often as humanly possible. The album is a collaboration between Glimmer twins Mo Becha and David Fouquaert, guitarist/bassist Ben Brunin and percussionist Stéphane Misseghers. At first listen (without any notes or promo to guide me), I took Disko Drunkards for a re-edit album—a looser, more funk-oriented one than the nu-disco folks, and one that kind of illustrated the Glimmers' slightly bent take on prevailing winds and trends. It was signaled by the trashy, loopy, hilarious reading of Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" included on Poplife Sucks, which is also here: lo-fi, wiry and not at all taking itself seriously. That's how the rest of Drunkards works out. Vocals are used sparingly, and often to humorous effect, as on "Physical." It might be the "comedy falsetto" some dance purists decry in others, but there's a post-punky cry-in-the-dark quality about it on "Who You Gonna Call" that gives the track a weird spark. Still, this is not a record to burden with excess motive. Take a cue from "Norman," the final track, and also the hardest rocking—steely funk-rock with a pair of swerving guitar riffs that get right to the point and don't mess around too much with it. Good move.
  • Tracklist
      01. Do It 02. G 03. Kookoo 04. Oh Oh Oh 05. Picture 06. Huh? 07. Physical 08. Grover 09. Dans Le Mille 10. 1973 11. Who You Gonna Call 12. Norman
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