Day 0915 - Our Aim is to Satisfy

Red Snapper “Our Aim is to Satisfy” (2000)

An interesting band that blends live instruments/players with electronic elements, like samples, loops and scratches to make interesting, (mostly) instrumental music based in deep deep groove.

I liked the sound of this album on paper, and the music was ‘interesting enough’, but not amazing.   That is to say it didn’t impact on me enough that I'll rush out and check out multiple Red Snapper albums, but each new track would have enough of a “ooh that sounds interesting” moment to keep me ticking along.

There’s a reasonable range of sounds on the album, from the dry, hard funk groove of “Some Kind of Kink”, to the lurching groove and cinematic triphop feel of “Shellback”.   There’s the funky “The Rough and the Quick” which is filthy.  It makes its point adequately with its sultry groove and lyrics:

“I want the kind of life I read about

You know, the one you find on the top shelf”

and you’re like ‘yes I do know. I understand that reference’ but before that thought has even lodged itself in your head the lyrics have moved on to spreading thighs, rubbing clits and the singer moaning and panting… y’know, just to really ram the point home.

Album wraps up with “They’re hanging me tonight” which sounds pleasingly like it either emulates or is sampled from an old giallo film soundtrack.
 

 

Day 0904 - Sincere

M.J. Cole "Sincere" (2000)

 

Cole was classically trained in oboe and piano.  He got a job as a tape operator and sound engineer for a drum and bass label which fuelled a love for electronic music.

I was kind of surprised at first.  I'd read something about him being into garage so I'd assumed it was garage-rock as that genre was due to become big in the next few years; instead it was the electronic genre of garage  ...I guess it makes sense.  You have house music, why wouldn't you have garage music?  I'm sure the garden shed music is just around the corner.

To my electronica layman's ears this sounds like interesting enough electronic music with touches of pop and soul, but nothing I feel I'll need to revisit.   The most interesting parts to me are the poppier ones like 70 funk-esque track "Rough Out Here" or single "Crazy Love" with its belting vocal.

There are some hints of Cole's classical training with pianos and strings popping up in places.