Opium Jukebox "Music to Download Pornography By" Invisible Records INV159 2000 (43:04)
Smells Like Teen Spirit (6:53)
Head
Like a Hole (4:42)
Cars
(5:28)
Ball of Confusion (3:35)
Been
Caught Stealing (3:31)
Unbelievable (3:58)
Tainted Love (6:37)
Whip It (4:59)
You Spin Me Right Around (3:21)
Opium Jukebox is Martin Atkins (Pigface, The Damage Manual, Invisible Records) and Bobdog Catlin (ex-Evil Mothers, Pigface, Pseudo Buddha) and a dozen other musician friends. This cd is a contemporary covers album: Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit", NIN "Head Like a Hole", Gary Numan "Cars", "Ball of Confusion", Jane's Addiction "Been Caught Stealing", EMF "Unbelievable", "Tainted Love", Devo "Whip It" and Dead or Alive "You Spin Me Right Around". I know what you're thinking ... horrid 'industrial' or paint by numbers covers, right? No, fortunately. This collective barely keeps the paint within the lines with very loose instrumental interpretations. Think exotic/erotic strings and rhythms and analog synth and beat programming (courtesy of Lee 'Bagman' Fraser - Sheep on Drugs, The Damage Manual) shrouded in Middle Eastern mystical ambiance. These very familiar songs slide by in an almost unfamiliar haze ... melodies played by Bobdog on sitar are about the only remaining identifiable element from the originals. A wide array of percussion and vibes keep the time and various flavors are added by dijeridu, horns, guitar, bass, violin, etc. About half the songs leap out of the speakers with more pronounced drums and electronics while the others maintain a more mellow groove. You've heard them a million times before but you've never heard them quite like this. I'm not sure if this is a joke or what (funny title) but as a covers album it's a great idea that's superbly executed and as an album in it's own it's even better. I hope they do more covers or originals someday ...
Where did I get this cd? - mail order via CD World.