usurper review from radio free midwich

Usurper review from Radio Free Midwich

“Believe this – the Usurper deal only in bravery and truth.

While other dingbat-bands try looking cool with their loud and unpleasant noises and dark glasses these two wee brothers rummage the depths of a Scottish collective-consciousness to bring you a crucial entertainment.

These wrinkled sonic-pages make no mention of the modern distractions (internet memes, flat white coffee) that foul up too many young brains.  And that’s important yeah as Usurper keep their focus exact on what makes us human-beans. It’s a real exploration of language; its meaning and our ability to understand.

So that pesky language eh?  That mixture of invisible air and sore lips is dropped by Ali & Malcy like a Lancaster Bomber crammed with ‘meaning grenades’.  Jerry-rigged for sure and improvised (of course) they explode slowly, freeing colourful shrapnel with the spark and fizz of a regular logophile.   No bones are broken, no arteries severed.  The aftermath smells of vague lavender and leaves a glowing smile on babe and parent alike.

You a toucher sir?  A stroker madam?  If you’re into the feel of things it all get fairly knotty with the soft buttermilk voices wrapping four cheeks around single syllables; twisting cadence and meaning without no interfering electronics.  It’s just wonderful flesh and gas (and the occasional traffic shwish).   A greasy mink has never been so slick.

Then Robertson and Duff employ outrageous simile-tennis that degenerates, quickly, into a game of (insert current culturally accepted good guys) versus (insert current culturally accepted bad guys).  And even though I class myself as an athletic listener my neck needs a good old rub down with liniment after this routine.

Hear that rattle and pop of unamplified junk?  It’s a classic Usurper tactic making a listener strap on an extra ounce of grey matter, all the better to get inside, move around this truthful music that rejects all the fripperies and fancy.

This essential tape comes pure from the inside of a twin soul.  Usurper – insider art!”

radio free midwich, february 2017