siLLy puPPy
The strangely named …? (pronouned as DOT DOT DOT QUESTION MARK) is actually the solo creation of Luke “Lou” Kelly of Ukiah, CA, USA where he plays all the instruments and performs all vocals. So far the only material to emerge from this idiosyncratic bizarre project is the sole album titled …! (pronounced as DOT DOT DOT EXCLAMATION POINT). Obviously a home project and available exclusively as a download on Bandcamp, this project is the ultimate tribute to the bizarre weirdness of Frank Zappa, Primus and most of all Mr Bungle.
Although this release has 10 tracks, the punk fueled energetic delivery keeps them on the shorter side with the longest only hitting the two and a half minute mark but like Mr Bungle’s most ambitious efforts such as on “Disco Volante,” …? is a genre jumping beast implementing everything from surf rock guitar, to gypsy ska punk, vocal standards, psychedelia, circus and cartoon music along with hardcore punk and even moments of death metal.
The juxtaposition of goofy non-serious lyrics embedded within highly sophisticated musical deliveries, some of which are quite progressive and mind-blowing is very much out of the Bungle playbook complete with crazy tracks like “One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten” which as it sounds is only a track about counting up to ten!
This little EP is all over the place. There’s Balkan gypsy swing punk, country bluegrass, ska, indie rock, operatic vocals, death metal growls, cartoon music, circus punk and it’s really about as avant-garde as can be with the goal seemingly to be even more extreme than Mr Bungle. On this front it works quite well and it actually hangs together very successfully throughout, however where this release fails is in the creativity department. Despite throwing in everything and the kitchen sink, it all comes off as nothing more than Bungle worship.The way the genres skip, very Bungle. The silly nonsensical humor, very Bungle. The punk, metal and ska intonations, once again very Bungle.
A very noble effort indeed as the production and mixing are skillfully mastered and the heavy distortion is seamlessly melded with the more orchestrated parts and this was truly a pleasure to experience however given the lack of originality, this will never be seen as anything other than a very competent tribute however if you’re really itching to check out a worthy Bungle successor then this is certainly worth the short time. It packs a punch into every second of playing time and doesn’t mess around. I truly would love to see …? develop into a formidable artist in its own right.