This is the slogan of Fartbarf. A--and I'm not sure if this is the right adjective, but this is the first practical use I've found for it--retro-modern (Yay, oxymorons!) electronic three-piece out of somewhere in Cali (Four beers already makes me lax in my research).
I've heard knobs used as a euphemism for breasts, so this cover art is a wonderful clarification to the afore mentioned slogan.
I will be honest. I'm buzzing good because I bought too much cheap shitty beer (Yes, the same Miller High Life I was drinking last week), and I started an hour before starting this. I know very little about this band other than I like the name, and while I'm not really a fan of electronic music, something about a retro approach has me endlessly intrigued. Therefore, let's keep this intro short and sweet, so I can end my intrigue (And not get too drunk before the ablume starts). On to the review!
Album:
Fartbarf - Dirty Power
Alcohol:
Miller High Life (Again. The Champ-Agne... Of Motherfucking BEERS)
"Homeless In Heathrow" opens with a nice farty line, and a dancey beat. The vocals come in with heavy vocoding. I can dig it, but not understand it. That's probably okay. As the chorus opens up it's rather fun. Settles back into the verse... This has got a a feeling of an early 90s computer recreating Devo. And that's good for me. The bass synth line has an almost epic feel to it. And in the bridge the whirling sounding thing is really cool. Excellent break down. I think what may help this out most for me is the real drums, and the fact that they are played really well. As wee move into a musical break, I'm pretty sold on this... It's out there, but a lot of fun. But yeah, still not understanding any words...
Coming in with more epic feeling sythn is "Panopticon", and the first understandable words: Coors Light. And suddenly I'm feeling less guilty about droning cheap shitty beer. Again, the higher register synths creating some cool sounds and even fun melodies over nice bass lines. The 8 bit feel is just amazing here. Ooo... Break down... Like... In the style of metal core, but through a super nintendo filter. The only way metal core should be heard. The rhythms are super groovy, and I'm thinking I've found the electronic music for me. =)
Driving bass tones take us into "Your Sky is Falling". The tune opens into a very poppy feeling tune. It's cool how they are emulating different styles all in the same gritty electronic nature. And the melodies are great. I'm getting more used to the vocoder, but still having trouble hearing actual words. There is even nice growth and tension moving into the chorus... Like, this is better song writing than quite a few of the albums I've done on here... Kudos. Haha. Laser sounds.... Just realized that's only funny to me and any one else who had Radio I at Waldorf College with Professor Newcom... Well, yeah... Cool Tune.
8 bit studdering opens "Mission at Hand". Drums join in, and the bass fleshes us out into a heavy groove. This is like if Daft Punk was good. Great melodies... And the style changes are helping to make the sounds not feel overdone... At least thus far. Nice fall aport ending!
"Play The Game" opens in an almost dance ballad feel. Picking up a little when the vocals come in. The little tags and attention to composition are beyond anything I thought I'd be hearing on this, and I'm serious--oh shit... Little interlude part was fucking rad! This is cool.. I'm kind of speechless... Just vibing... Cool end.
"All Systems Go" comes in as a nice power anthem with vocals to match. Really cool feel. Slightly subtle in it's approach, but some nice subtle growth. I love the high end tags and how they match up with the vocals. I'm pretty sure this is the best thing I've heard with out some sort of stringed instrument. God, the movement from part to part is great... I'm loving the fact that the diction is terrible everywhere wight he vocoder, but "EverybuTy" comes through just as I typed it... Awesome.
Hi-hat takes us into "Serviece Merchandiser". And as the song moves... It gets weird... But in, like, and amazing way... It's got an almost eerie vibe... But... it's still fun... This is so far outside of my nomad realms of listening, but still everywhere I want to be... I'm catching some of the lyrics and they seem appropriately weird, but I will be honest, I almost prefer not understanding... There is so much vibe potential to this. Abrupt end... I dig.
"Hero of Time" comes in with an epic feel. Like the hero theme to an 80's video game with live drums. ten times the badassery of mega man. I love it. Great melodies... Although, this is the first point I'm feeling a sense of recycled song ideas... It's still good, but i don't know if it's the booze, or if some of these melodies appeared already... Whatev's It's still fun smexy awesome... Amazing breakdown thingy... The drums are melting the shit out of my ass... Hmm... That sounded considerably more diarrhea-y than I indented... it's probably ring...
"Warp Whistle" moves from epic theme tune to dancy dirty... And I welcome the return of the vocoder. I can't understand a word, but somehow it makes everything better... Great build into the chorus... Ooo... I love the low end vocals. By the way... My girlfriend is watching impractical jokers, and seeing the randomness there wight he music in my headphones is incredible... Just day in' Awesome overload wight hat whole breakdown interlude... God, this shit rocks my face clear into next Tuesday! Fading? Wait... FADING? Fade out ending?! Poor form!
Closing us out is "Electric Groove" and true to it's name... It's grooving... Electronically! =P A nice grooving tune... Can I say any form of Groove more? Probably. Becaouse this fucking album is GROOOVETASTIC! On the real... Letas talk about this break down... I was gonna say drums(they're amazing), but then there was the crazy high end sythn... Killer. There's some more of it... Bordering on annoying, but fitting wight he movement of the song, so I'll allow it. The shit has been blow out me ASS.
Final Thoughts:
Quick! Take all the music you own, throw it in a blender. Pour a bunch of liquor in, blend on high for two full days, take a heaping table spoon of FUCK YEAH, and shove it all in your NES. YES an original, not one of those fucking modern produced remake shits. And plug that shit into an 80's console TV hooked up to a tube amp running to two stereo speakers and push the volume as far as it will go... That's Fartbarf... Your welcome.
-Badhorse
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