Before bands like
Man or Astro-man? and
White Zombie were sampling schlocky sci-fi flicks or bands like
Slint were telling stories over music, there existed
the Very Things. From England,
the Very Things play a surf rock so demented one can't help but wonder if these boys were perhaps born from cathode tubes playing an endless loop of late-night sci-fi films. This album is a testament to the passion and adoration of many bleary-eyed teens lusting after the Red Scare and all things 1962. If
the Very Things can only be remembered for one thing, let it be known that they were true innovators of early-'80s surf rock/garage rock revival.
The Bushes Scream While Daddy Prunes is not a particularly challenging record to listen to, nor is it immediately definable as a good record. For the modern listener it may be difficult to hear the music coming from 1984, as the music isn't jangly nor gloomy. But it is simply fun music (more fun perhaps for likeminded individuals) and fun was a rare commodity in early-Thatcher Britain.
The Bushes Scream is England's answer to Psychedelic Jungle. Outstanding tracks include the instrumental "Information" and a live version of "A Message From Disney Time" that includes the Shand singing, "A spoonful of sugar helps Americans go down," in a very Mickey Mouse-like voice. The Very Things are a lost treasure and this is a reissue that any fan of British post-punk/surf rock should have. This album is a reissue of
the Very Things' first record, initially released by Reflex in 1984 and re-released in 1993 with five bonus tracks of retakes and live recordings. ~ Benjamin Heath