(Dead Angel) No telling who's responsible for the devolved sounds on this disc, since no info is given outside of the titles, but there are interesting moments in the chaos-theory approach here. The sound is a mix of abused instruments, collage, ambient drone, and random clattering, sometimes with shouting over the top, sometimes not. Diseased rhythms that sound like they're folding back on themselves are the only real nod to structure -- the rest of the time it's all about unpredictability and chaos, more antimusic than anything conventional. The quieter, more ambient moments are a welcome surprise, though, and do nicely to provide momentary respite from the manic bursts of damaged sound. The tinny toy piano on "Dear Razel" is nice too, but unfortunately doesn't last anywhere near long enough. Some of their sounds are peculiar enough to invite speculation as to the nature of their origins, although the vocalist's "quirky" (to put it mildly) style may be the ultimate barrier for some listeners. Is this the sound of asylum inmates demolishing disco? Could be.... - RKF

(Vital Weekly No. 520) Also rock-like is Eftus Spectun from Bath/Bristol (UK), trio of Kieran on drums, Sam on lead vocals, bass and Oliver on guitar and vocals. They call themselves an 'angular math pop trio' 'developing a unique blend of dissonance, dislocated rhythm and infectious pop melody'. But that's only half their sound, as they also use extensively samples, perhaps of their own playing. I must admit that their regular rock songs didn't do much for me. It sounded very 80s, and very serious. But their sound collages of sampled rock sources sound quite fresh and exciting. Witty, varied and full of surprises. A strange mixture this release. - Frans de Waard

(Ampersand Etectera) The Tocks Clicking. This is another of Public Eyesore’s surprise packages. Very little about them on the web, reviews on the PE website suggest that this is a compilation across time (and they could be a duo or a trio). The first two tracks are Zappa/Beefheart-esque swamp rock, spiky guitars and growled vocals. Then there is a lovely slow guitar ambience with distant drums, spacious and gentle. A couple more songs, again spiky but less American – on first hearing I started to think that this was a UK outfit – something in the vocals reminded me of Andy Partridge – and the website sources them in Bath. Another spacey instrumental, a short piano interlude and then a series of tracks, similar to the earlier ones, but bringing to mind Queen, Split Enz and Genesis in addition to XTC and the swamp rock. The instrumentation is still the guitar based, edgy pop but somewhat softened, but there are all sorts of voices and vocalisations that bring to mind that art-rock heritage, some more complex, combining instrumental sections and variations. All of that in 13 minutes before a complete change of pace into an instrumental collage of found manipulated created layered sounds that is their Revolution #9. Then a manipulated advert for candy to close off. As I say, I can’t find anymore of this on the web, for a compilation it is strangely short, but as it stands it is a definite wonder. - Jeremy Keens

(Touching Extremes) Only 25 minutes, but almost perfect. A typical Public Eyesore chemical solution of craziness and geniality, this time illuminated by a well-developed technical expertise. Uncontrollable tempos alimenting skeletal arpeggios and dissonant riffs, played with thorough knowledge of the fretboard and without fussiness of sorts. A lot of different instruments appear in the mix, including what sounds like very cheap ones. Both the sounds and the (splendid!) babbling are clearly influenced by Captain Beefheart in my humble opinion (circa “Doc at the radar station”, maybe?); remaining in that zone, Zoogz Rift could also be a good comparison, yet Eftun Spectun are instrumentally more disciplined. In a word, these guys can really play - that’s what gives this music its value, together with a pungent irony (fabulous mellifluous-to-crooning vocals, but try to intone those intervallic jumps yourselves: not easy for sure). All the tracks are short and sharp, often ending inside a minute, except “Mullusc mollusc”, a description-defying, delirious studio monster lasting alone half the CD. Truly great stuff, quirky, intelligent, difficult and easily digestible at once. - Massimo Ricci