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Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Strange Bouquets and the proto and post punk, alt rock freak out of "Mirrors"

 







"we could list all the riddles write down them on the wall, build an empire on our convictions in the end we kill them all..."

I can tell you emphatically that I cannot dance. Moving to music is like a foreign language to me, one that I cannot understand, comprehend in any way but I can move to "Mirrors" by Strange Bouquets, the new solo (or not) project by Rory Morison (from the neo-psychedelic hard rock band - Drug Hunt). Not that Strange Bouquets could not be described as a neo-psychedelic hard rock band but it could be described as other things too. It is a twisting blend of punk and art rock and performance art and crazy and baroque punk and, well, you can decide for yourself what sonically artistic cues it sparks in your brain. I can tell you that I thought of experimental punk / indie rock outfits like Pere Ubu, like Oingo Boingo like Mr. Bungle but also surf punk pummelers like OSEES and even new wave acts like Devo and the B52's. 


Stylistically Morison has that sort of 80's new wave punk drawl, an amalgam of singers like Stan Ridgeway, Jello Biafra, Fred Schneider and Peter Murphy (Bauhaus). Back to dancing or not having the ability to dance, I can let the manic ID rock of "Mirrors" wash over me and enthusiastically pogo or spaz out (it's ok Lizzo and Beyonce, you wouldn't understand).


-Robb Donker Curtius






THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:

https://open.spotify.com/track/3WNLpiRirnYHufwiKR7f4U

Debuting on August 16th, "Mirrors" was recorded with an ensemble of Southern California-based musicians who, ironically, came together during the social distancing era of the pandemic. "The pandemic's physical disruption provided new creative opportunities because everyone was at home, hungry to play and collaborate," says Morison, who reached out and enlisted drummer Damon de La Paz (Fenix TX, Ape Machine), saxophone player Jesse Aduelo (Sure Fire Soul Ensemble), bassist Blake Dean (The Schizophonics, Mrs. Henry), and violinist Anna Zinnova (Pinkeye). Recorded and mastered to 1/2" tape by Jordan Andreen (Karl Denson, Earthless) at Big Fish Studios, "Mirrors" is a song for the modern moment — a response to the anxieties of today's world, its social and racial movements, sensationalism, hypocrisy, and an enigmatic virus that presented more questions than answers.


Delivered by a genre-bending songwriter, "Mirrors" embraces everything from Nick Cave's greasy, visceral poetics to anarcho punk's angular compositions. There's even a tinge of early Pink Floyd psychedelia, laced with balkan guitar, sax, violin, unisons and the lingering overtones of futuristic doom. As poet/journalist Noah C. Lekas offers, "'Mirrors' is the sound of David Byrne scoring Quentin Tarantino's long anticipated sci-fi movie."




** At this particular time we find ourselves in a financial pinch due to many factors. We want to keep AP going. It has been a passion project for over 13 years. PLEASE consider donating, we could really use the support. Thanks so much


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 Strange Bouquets, indie rock, psych rock, proto punk, post punk, alt rock, new wave, experimental, art rock, art punk, solo and collaborative project, Rory Morison, 


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