.
http://www.rollingstone.com/assets/images/album_review/f51bed2d5698bbe02b61196cd65a3684d59f207f.jpg Ventriloquizzing

Fujiya and Miyagi

Ventriloquizzing

Yep Roc
Rolling Stone: star rating
Community: star rating
5 3.5 0
March 31, 2011

The band name might sound like the worst buddy-cop comedy ever, something that would star Adam Sandler and a karate-master dog. But this British-not-Japanese indie band has built up an impressive body of work, culminating in their smashing fourth album. They specialize in churning, bass-heavy groove-bombs in the Krautrock style — it sounds like they’ve worn out a few vinyl copies of their favorite Can records — plus a dose of Nineties trip-hop, decorated with organ blasts. The words are funny ("We speak but we don’t think/We make each other sick") but David Best’s half-whispered vocals are strictly minimal — like every other sound here, he’s just a slave to the rhythm.

Listen to "Ventriloquizzing":

Gallery: Random Notes, Rock's Hottest Photos

prev
Album Review Main Next

ADD A COMMENT

Community Guidelines »
loading comments

loading comments...

COMMENTS

Sort by:
    Read More

    Music Reviews

    more Reviews »
    Daily Newsletter

    Get the latest RS news in your inbox.

    Sign up to receive the Rolling Stone newsletter and special offers from RS and its
    marketing partners.

    X

    We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Rolling Stone and its partners. For more information please read our Privacy Policy.

    Song Stories

    “All Along the Watchtower”

    The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1968

    Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."

    More Song Stories entries »