Artist.......: Billy Mahonie
Album........: Found
Label........: Oof Records
Genre........: Indie
Catnr........: Oof 004
source.......: CDDA
rip.date.....: nov-28-2005
str.date.....: nov-14-2005
quality......: VBR/44,1Hz/Joint-Stereo
Url..........: http://www.billymahonie.com/
track title time
01. Hoon 04:37
02. On The Brinck 04:25
03. Whistling Sam 03:57
04. Little Feet 03:05
05. Man With The Woman Head 03:38
06. Are We Rolling? 04:59
07. World Inaction 02:16
08. Let Them Eat Shit 01:43
09. Rot Of The Stars 04:22
10. Crevette Le Bandit 06:29
11. Flume 04:43
12. Au Lac Contraire 05:17
13. Less Flagiolettes 06:37
14. Sleep in Feathers 08:56
15. Scary Village 07:03
16. Nightmare City 06:09
Runtime 78:16 min
Size 104,8 MB
Release Notes:
Despite a name that conjures up images of a Jamie
Cullum-esque earnest young singer songwriter, Billy
Mahonie are in fact a multi-person instrumental
rock beast. Think of æBirdlandÆ by Weather Report
being played by a band brought up on hardcore punk.
Who needs a vocalist when the guitars sound like
this? Multiple releases on multiple labels have
seen Billy Mahonie acknowledge their chequered
past, and æFoundÆ is a special compilation of the
bandÆs best work since their inception in London in
1997.
Debut single æHoonÆ, originally released on Fierce
Panda, is a brooding stoner rock number that
marries QOTSA with an insolent Mars Volta. The
absence of a vocalist is never an issue, and the
band skilfully weaves a clear verse-chorus-verse
structure. Billy Mahonie are gifted, inventive and
confident musicians and this isnÆt avant-garde
guitar noodling.
The genre-hopping starts with æWhistling SamÆ,
which fades out the stoner guitars and suddenly
morphs into a jungle-speed drum roll and repetitive
high-speed bass riff; while æLittle FeetÆ could be
De La Soul chilling out with The Meters. The album
highlight is the wonderfully named æLet Them Eat
ShitÆ, a one and a half minute psychedelic guitar
riff that thrashes confrontationally and disappears
as quickly as it arrived.
Despite the songs being written often eight years
ago, 'Found' has many contemporary references.
æFlumeÆ has shades of Biffy ClyroÆs æMy Recovery
InjectionÆ while æLess FlagiolettesÆ rips off Jimi
Hendrix and æFoxy LadyÆ in its opening hammer
on/off guitar action, but the expected big guitar
sound doesnÆt then materialise. Instead, rather
unexpectedly the band leaves us with an improvised
Jools Holland-style band riffing sesh.
Checking out the song titles there is either some
serious dyslexia going on here, or a willful
mispronunciation of French - see 'Less
Flagiolettes' and then there is 'On the Brinck'à
The latter, along with æRot of the StarsÆ echoes
the Smashing Pumpkins in the æGishÆ era: simple
clean guitars with a reflective feel. You quickly
realise this isnÆt an album to actively engage
with, like the new Franz or We Are Scientists
releases. This is mood music in the best possible
sense, all insolence and brooding passion. Listen
to æFoundÆ when driving home late at night on your
own, as the darkness crowds in and problems weigh
heavy on your mind.