SLUTAVVERKNING - Arbetets Sorgemusik - Del II

Release date September 9/19 (Suicide Records)

Feeling very much like Captain Kirk before his first kiss with a green skinned alien life form, this intrepid reviewer approached analyzing Slutavverkning's Arbetets Sorgemusik - Del II EP with some trepidation. With thoughts of "where no man has gone before" swirling in the back of my brain, I pressed play to enter into my first foray of "jazz punk".

Not sure what I expected from this four-tracker, but what I ended up consuming was definitely something unique to these ears. On the positive side, there most certainly is some anger (especially on closer 'Tack Och Heg') that is a pre-requisite for all good punk, and the horn section also brings a neat sound to the table. Further, the caustic punk rock vocals (sung in their native Swedish) also delivers a swat to the side of the head, for that extra heft.

On the downside though, overall there's a little too much ska-like swing to this thing and the guitars are strummed rather than slammed, evoking a confusing image of a pin-faced, mohawk-sporting singer fronting a nattily dressed backing band. Weird ... but ultimately a fun listen, though.

(6.5)