The bassist/multi-instrumentalist Chris Constantinou who has worked with Adam Ant, Sinéad O’Connor, The Wolfmen and others and the famed drummer and founding member of The Damned Rat Scabies collaborated for some years as core members of The Mutants rock supergroup. When making the fourth Mutants album, Rat also noticed some other demos Chris was working on and this turned into the project One Thousand Motels, involving only the two of them and from this came their debut album `2% Out of Sync` which this month will be released on vinyl for the first time.
`Beautiful Losers` leads us in which I read delves into existentialism by depicting characters stepping into a parallel world of misfits and dreamers, evoking a haunting sense of disconnection and musically it really does mirror this sentiment. A gentle offering to ease us in on. I thought that `Definition` had some iridescent riffs and is a number that i`m sure Primal Scream would kill for.
`Gone` sounds like the sort of number that the trip hop outfit Alabama 3 excel in and could be a contender for the opening theme music for another American crime drama televisionseries. There an almost gospel vibe to the tranquil `Rain` which has some enticing bongo percussion.
There`s a delicious psychedelic texture to `Kings X Guru` which at times had a kind of Stones feel as well. Kings Cross was once a place that was dark, dismal, druggy and prostitute ridden but has been regenerated and now boasts new shops, restaurants, pop up stalls, and a new shopping centre. Sean Wheeler features on vocals on `Andy’s Wonder World` which is a hazy trippy homage to the late American artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol.
We have in `Kill Me If You Love Me` a number that touches on toxic relationships and although the subject matter is pretty grim, the song itself has some delightful harmonica hues and brass tinges. Title track `2% Out of Time` is a number about identity crisis, which is a further grove laden, psychedelic trippy offering.
The amusingly titled `I Like Sex In The Suburbs` is a dreamy slice of laid back almost sleazy rock n roll, a real foot tapper. There`s a slight melancholic mood to the final cut `Gerry’s Ashes` which touches on loss and self-analysis, expanding into themes of mortality.
Mostly led by Chris Constantinou on vocals, bass, and guitars alongside Scabies on drums, the album incorporates contributions from guest musicians including percussionist Preston Heyman and keyboardists like Jeremy Stacey blending genres such as punk, psychedelia, funk, blues, and rock and roll, exploring themes of existentialism, with some wry observations, and hedonism. The release was co-produced by the pair alongside Nicholas de Carlo, who also contributed keyboards.
I must admit that I missed this album first time around and five years on, the album is finally getting the physical release it deserves. The vinyl has been mastered from the original lacquer cut, and both Rat and Chris approved the test pressing together. Their music has been characterised as “upbeat rock songs with a twist in the lyrical tail” and “a match seemingly made in rock ‘n’ roll heaven (or a punky purgatory)”.
It`s all that and more and well worth investing in now it`s about to be given a new lease of life.
Rating 9/10
