Belgian post punk quintet The Guru Guru have been described as a unique noise and psychotic project from Hasselt, with inspiration drawn from bands like Sonic Youth, METZ, Pere Ubu, Melt-Banana and Deerhoof. They release their latest album `Make (Less) Babies` this month which was written in what the band termed a `Guroulette` which translates into English as weathervane but is essentially where each musician records a musical idea at home on their own instrument that is passed on to the next in line.
The album begins with `Not awake (the baseball)` a fast paced fairly eclectic offering where at times the vocals are fairly expansive with lyrics that are a little out there. We enjoy a much more jerky, angular composition with `Jack shit/jackpot` which has a rhythmic hypnotic drumbeat that leads us along with lyrical opinions views and sentiments splayed atop.
`Lemon-aid, lemon-cello (bear dance)` is another track that has a repetitive rhythmic magnetic beat with the lyrical content a kind of stream of consciousness shared above. There was an oddly captivating texture to `Supply on demand (sunshinin’ on my dinin’)` which has a strange melodic tempo about it and an elongated fade out at the end.
Title track `Make less babies`, I read is about how we are gradually destroying our planet and about the major role that our favourite commodity, money, plays in this. Together with the planet we are slowly destroying ourselves and we are doing it against our better judgement. A fast-paced piece with the spoken word dispatch nigh on rapped atop. A climate change number follows with `In 2073 (plenty of other fish in the sea)` a delightfully musically diverse and varied protest song of sorts. The repeated chorus of “plenty of other fish in the sea” is wonderfully enticing.
`Saint-Tropez` is a thoughtful, dreamy ironic diatribe on inequality and poverty while `Lotta tension` is about the pressure to perform and the constant information flow that comes to us through new media. How we should deal with this and what impact it sometimes has on our body that should not be underestimated. A number that seems to tunefully quiver, shiver, and tremble.
`Oh, me (I can’t complain)` is an almost conversational piece shared over an edgy shimmering soundscape that feels as it could explode at any time but manages to stay in check. This release closes out with `Joke’s on you (under over)` which grows both volubly and musically as it evolves and appears to be about the importance of the narrator.
I have to put my hands up and say that `Make (Less) Babies was my introduction to The Guru Guru and what an introduction. This album was offbeat, quirky, eclectic, surreal and almost outré. A delightful listen with some fairly bizarre lyrics that can be interpreted in a number of ways.
I felt they had a touch of bands such as Devo and Gang of Four about them but principally have their own unique style.
I must admit I was wondering for years now as to who the successors to the wonderful Belgian band dEUS would be and I think i`ve just stumbled upon them.
Rating 9 /10
