Whipping Clowns
Mon 11th May, 2009
shark010

Having already received national and local radio play and press, Vacuum Spasm Babies release Whipping Clowns, an extraordinary long player that comes almost two decades after their still unreleased and unavailable debut album.

Boyish charm and good looks have long since left blood relatives Malcolm Spasm and Charles S. Bravo. Vitality of youth, drive and ambition has been decayed by hard labour, misadventure and responsibility. But with life comes the need to share, observe, dissect, comment, reflect and evaluate.

You won't see Mr Bravo in his glasses, but that man has seen things that would make a nun change allegiance or a bear return a hamper. His co-conspirator, Malcolm Spasm, is a seasoned musician with a head fuelled by music, wasps and Mechano who twists and winds songs until they are sick and queasy enough to record. Some have said they hear whispers of Sonic Youth, The Pastels, Krautrock, Deerhoof, The Doors, Angelo Badalamenti and Eugenius / The Vaselines in some of these tracks. But don't be lazy, have a listen for yourself.

Join us now as we crack the ribcage of the album and get our bloody hands around each track.

Roadkill - "Dead fox smoking, and those rotten badgers. All that roadkill makes me ill." Foxes are smart, real smart. Don't trust them, or swerve to avoid them if you see one on the road. It's all part of their plan, and will certainly end in tears. The closest Vacuum Spasm Babies get to do a big pop single, with strings, choruses and everything.

The Truth Always Hurts - "Let me take you over to the lake, the place the lady stays awake..." What happened to the lady in the car? I guess we'll never know. The melody came to Malcolm as he remembered a scene from cult movie and VSB favourite The Wanderers as he fumbled for change for the night bus on a rainy night. A tale of lost love, despair and disappointment.

Embarrassed Guitarist - "Ladies want to be with you, guys want to be like you." This is for anyone who's ever won a battle of the bands competition and boasted about it.

Desert Song - "Eyes up in the alleyway. Can you tell me where I've been?" A tale of surviving a trip across the desert, desperate Motels, cheap gin and the bonds of brotherhood. In reality the closest either of them has ever been to driving across the desert in a stolen car was getting a lift to Troon from a drunk doctor on the run from the authorities.

Punch in the Face - "The thin man is smiling. He's going to smash my face in" Vacuum Spasm Babies wish to dedicate this song to anyone who's ever been the recipient of a hiding for just not fitting in. The Pastels get a mention here along with other Charles S. Bravo favourites Belle and Sebastian and Dawn of The Replicants. Clocking in at well under 2 minutes, it's a Pixies inspired pop gem.

Furious Robot Interlude - The robot will never be subdued. The only public appearance the robot will be making will be for Fury purposes. Vacuum Spasm Babies actually got into a spot of bother with Iron Maiden after their robot found maiden mascot 'Eddie' and, let's say, 'violated' it in quite an unusual fashion. A spasm inducing slab of electro noise, known to cause nosebleeds and the involuntary evacuation of the bowels.

MHz - Mr Bravo was out of the office the day that Mr Spasm put this toe-tapper together, although Mr Bravo somewhat unrealistically attempts to take credit for the melody saying that he planted the tune in the head of Mr Spasm by telepathy. Normal Hz are just not big enough for Vacuum Spasm Babies. They really have to be mega.

Song For Katie - "And when your cuts all heal, bruises fade out of your broken heart" Who was Katie, and why won't anyone talk about her? This pounding epic paints a sorry picture of cruelty, desperation and the fragility of the human spirit.

On The Brink Of Tears - "Wretched excess is my best friend. That's why I'm standing here on the brink of tears." Why dip your toe in the gentle waters of intemperance when you can jump right in?

Wallflowers - "Lonely girls they weep into cocktails, in listless wonder they watch one another..." Charles S. Bravo thinks he's qualified to sing songs about lonely girls, because he used to be one. Not really.

Whipping Clowns - "A shark's dead eyes to end the big surprise." A tale that more or less recounts what happened to one-time Vacuum Spasm Baby accordion player Von Shidley. A stark warning against ever taking up the offer to help feed the horses at the circus.