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flag Norway - Full Moon 178 - 03/19/11

It's a label showdown!
Metronomicon Audio vs. Jester Records - Round 21
coverpic coverpic Koppen: My Fashion Statement Is Scrambled Eggs
  (2005 Metronomicon Audio: MEAU.0021.CDR)
vs.
Kåre João: Sideman
  (2002 Jester Records TRICK-021)

Welcome to round 21 in the label showdown series between Metronomicon Audio and Jester Records! Since we've more or less totally missed out on reviewing the output of these two great labels, we are going through their entire catalogues, matching the releases from each label consecutively against each other. Humorously counting goalsIt's a GOAL! and giving out yellowOooops, a yellow card! and redOooops, a red card! cards, soccer style - but first of all reviewing the music. For more introductory information on this label match, see round 1.

Match preview
My Fashion Statement Is Scrambled Eggs is presented in the typical Metronomicon fashion - a CD-R packed in a flexible plastic sleeve with a cardboard folder containing art & information.
coverpic coverpic coverpic

The Kåre João release comes in a jewel case and a folded insert with art.
coverpic coverpic coverpic

The match
I was not very impressed by Koppen's debut album Truckdriving Songs, but still open to the possibility that I simply missed the point. For me that album was synthetic experience, like experimental hip-hop made with toy instruments, playful but not much fun. Let's see if Koppen ("The Cup") kan do better with My Fashion Statement Is Scrambled Eggs. Well, the album opens in the similar manner, with "Nani Kore?"'s confusing mash of soundbits and cut-ups. After this short intro, "Koppen_Niceguy/Booty" goes straight to the videogame hip-hop aestethics and retro synth blip-blops we recognize from his first outingOooops, a red card!. "Candy Robot" is a more traditional type of song, and when the banjo is introduced, it is hard not to compare Koppen's singing here to his older brother Täppas Strepens. The melody is also very comparable to Strepens' output. The organ takes the song into 60's territory, but it's rather forgettable. On "A Long Way Until Tomorrow" is also on the organic side, and here Sissyfus shares lead vocals with Koppen, creating a fine balance. And it's a fine little song too, quite relaxed and enjoyableIt's a GOAL!. "Fuzzbucket" is from the other bucket, utilizing a repetetive selection of samples of blues/gospel singing, making up a call and response construction that doesn't resonate with me, and then when the helium kicks inOooops, a red card!, I opt out. "Eggs" is another videogame cut-up detourOooops, a yellow card!, with Japanese guides. "Car? Action!!" sounds like Täppas Strepens trapped in another videogameOooops, a red card!. "Teknodrome" just dives further into that synthetic directionOooops, a red card!. After the forgettable interlude of "Che Burashka", "Cringer" slows down a bit, but we're still in this square synthetic place. Finally, "Slide The Sinewaves Sideways" gives the album a calmer, mellow ending, with few enough synth blurbs to allow for a little listening reflection.

To sum it up: Koppen should have released the 2-3 more organic songs here as an EP. The rest is tiresome videogame music that I have a hard time imagining any target audience for. I'm sorry, but Koppen is clearly not my cup of tea. Still, the artwork is nice ...

Kåre João's Captain Trips release was a delightful taster with two tracks from the Sideman album. And opening the album is the tremolo-guitar infused "Captain Trips", which again makes me want to mention fellow Norwegians Sister Rain.It's a GOAL! The album continues in the same vein with "Channel Five", slowing down, monotonous but vibrating, with a nice slide guitar, letting your thoughts flow, if you want to. The organ-soaked "Sunshine Blues" is hardly any more intrusive, but feels less interesting, even if it has more of a song structure as opposed to the loopy "Channel Five". "Frank Furius" is the other track featured on the Captain Trips release, and it sounds equally cool hereIt's a GOAL!. I also want to add a reference to Beach Boys, for the humming choir. "Mission To Cure My Condition" is an instrumental track with guitars with and without dripping wah-wah and vibrato effetcs playing around over a repeating bass theme. Soft violins and a humming chorus join in, but the track itself is a little uneventful. The vocals of "Love Report" is buried in reverb/echo effects, and the chords and arrangements may remind you of a slow XTC songIt's a GOAL!, but it feels rather sleepy and drowsy, in a nice way. "Dark Of Heartness" speeds up a little, and the vocal has some similarities to Perry FarrelIt's a GOAL!, but the song is too laidback to call up Jane's Addiction. Nevertheless, an excellent lazy ending.

To sum it up: With Sideman Kåre João (aka Kåre Pedersen from Kåre & The Cavemen, Euroboys, The Kwyet Kings, Gluecifer) brings a fine addition to the Norwegian psychedelic 60's rock inspired canon, and it stacks up with the best of them. Some fillers, but more than half of the songs here are memorable and invites revisits. Not surprising, seeing that an array of people with connections to bands like Astroburger, Euroboys and Smell of Incense also play on this album. On Captain Trips the cover depicted a person pointing a gun at the listener, on Sideman the gun is pointed at the person's own head, again strange cover art for an album of psychedelic feelgood musicOooops, a yellow card!. (Perhaps a sick twist on the music "blowing you away" ... but it isn't that trippy!) Though I must confess I haven't studied the lyrics, as they are not included in print. It may be that they relate to a death theme or something, but the music nevertheless vibrates with colours and shines of lazy happiness. Still, the artwork is ugly ...

Match result: Metronomicon Audio 1 (Oooops, a red card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a red card!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a red card!Oooops, a red card!) - Jester Records 4 (It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!)

THE LABEL TABLE
# Metronomicon Audio (MA) Jester Records (JR) MA JR
01 C.O.U.: Darklow Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL! Ulver: Themes From William ... Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL! 1 4
02 C.O.U.: Sellout EP It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card! Esperanza: Esperanza Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a red card! 2 1
03 C.O.U.: Bestboy Electric Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL! Arcturus: Disguised Masters It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card! 1 1
04 Cyrano & C.O.U.: s/t It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL! When: Psychedelic Wunderbaum Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a red card! 2 1
05 Täppas Strepens: Beans, Bacon ... Oooops, a red card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL! Bogus Blimp: Men-Mic It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL! 2 4
06 Center of the Universe: Curious .. It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! Ulver: Metamorphosis It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! 2 1
07 C.O.U.: Taking a Nap With It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a red card!It's a GOAL! Ulver: Perdition City It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a red card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL! 2 4
08 Täppas Strepens: The Future ... Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL! Bogus Blimp: cords. wires Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! 3 3
09 Magnus Moriarty™: Drive Fast ... It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! When: WriterCakeBox It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! 3 5
10 Various Artists: 1.0 It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a red card!It's a GOAL! Star of Ash: iter.viator. It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a red card! 3 1
11 Now We've Got Members: Le Jardin It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL! Virus: Carheart It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! 3 3
12 C.O.U.: Promotional Copy Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL! Ulver: Silences Teaches You ... It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! 3 1
13 Magnus Moriarty™: ...And The Hippos... It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! Origami Galaktika: Stjernevandring It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL! 3 4
14 Cyrano: You Sensualize My Soul Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a red card!Oooops, a red card!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL! When: The Lobster Boys It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card! 3 3
15 Koppen: Truckdriving Songs Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a red card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a red card! Rotoscope: Great Curves Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! 1 1
16 Täppas Strepens: Dance, Dance ... It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card! Ulver: Silencing the Singing It's a GOAL!Oooops, a red card!Oooops, a yellow card! 3 1
17 C.O.U.: Staying Up All Night ... Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a red card!Oooops, a red card! Kåre João: Captain Trips It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! 1 1
18 Magnus Moriarty™: U R On A Radar It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL! Head Control System: Murder Nature It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! 2 2
19 Now We've Got Members: Tiny Disasters It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a red card!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL! Single Unit: Family of Forces It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL! 5 3
20 Various Artists: 2.0 Oooops, a yellow card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a red card!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a yellow card! [unreleased] 1 0
21 Koppen: My Fashion Statement ... Oooops, a red card!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a red card!Oooops, a yellow card!Oooops, a red card!Oooops, a red card! Kåre João: Sideman It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!It's a GOAL!Oooops, a yellow card! 1 4
Total 47 48

Next match
Next head-to-head meeting is the Täppas Strepens CD The Great American Brainkiller from Metronomicon Audio which is up against the self-titled Upland release from Jester Records.

Copyright © 2011 Knut Tore Breivik e-mail address

You may also want to check out our Koppen articles/reviews: Good Kopp Bad Kopp, Let's Eat Crazyroom!! It's Time To Be Cool Like A Boy!!, Objectified, Strømmen Gamelan City, Truckdriving Songs.

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