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Album Review

F*cked Up
The Chemistry of Common Life Matador Records

Article written by Ged M - Aug 31, 2008

This is hardcore, but not as you’d imagine it. For one, there’s a flute on the intro and outro! Pink Eyes’ volcanic grumble of a voice might suggest otherwise but the songs are really songs, not blasts of sound, guitars shimmy and twist as well as drive forward and the lyrics - when you make them out – display serious thought (contempt for organised religion on ‘Son The Father’, wonder at the chemical processes that created us on ‘The Chemistry of Common Life’). It constantly surprises: Pink Eyes’ singing is counterpointed and softened by superb female vocals from Katie Stelmanis and the Vivian Girls while there a couple of prog-punk interludes full of whirlpooling keyboards that force you to reconsider what you think you’re hearing. They can mix heavy, aggressive rock with a brighter, almost pop sound at times, in the way that Husker Du used to do; there are also moments here when, vocalists apart, you could be listening to Art Brut (the superb ‘Crooked Head’).

Last year they released the outstanding ‘Year of the Pig’ single – all 18 minutes of it - about the murder of sex workers in Canada (there’s another difference from other hardcore bands: being Canadian, Fuck*d Up are social activists rather than acned sociopaths) and as a result have been picked up by Matador. And whatever you listen to now, even if it’s the quiestest acoustic folk, you should pick it up too – this is punk given new life, pure energy poured into powerful songs that will turn your conceptions of punk and hardcore upside down. F*cked Up is the most serious shit around.

Links:
http://lookingforgold.blogspot.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fucked_Up