PERE UBU

"Why I Hate Women"

Glitterhouse Records - 2006

CD

Nearly thirty years have gone since the release of that timeless masterpiece known as "The Modern Dance", yet David Thomas' peevish genius seems not to feel the passing of springs. After the introspective "St. Arkansas", Pere Ubu are back on the paths of rock avantgarde that carved their name into the legend of American new wave. "Why I Hate Women", brand-new CD with a quite provocative title, especially in times of debates about equal opportunities and rampant radical feminism, moves through different moods, alternating garage rock rides disfigured by acid to slow and melancholic excursions into alien blues. The booklet sports "this is an irony-free recording", perfectly presenting the album.

Opening "Two Girls (One Bar)" is fast and schizoid, with Thomas' awkward and jovial voice dominating a scene made of rocket-speed guitars and buzzing electronic noises, while following "Babylonian Warehouse" and, especially, the fantastic "Blue Velvet" linger into nocturnal, almost jazzy atmospheres, yet distorted by the intrusion of the synth and the crooked singing of our favourite Crocus Behemoth. Rhythms turn adrenalinic again with "Caroleen", the album's most powerful tune, where vocals sound almost hysterical, guitars clatter and electronics splutter with madness. This song would have perfectly fit into "The Modern Dance" or "Dub Housing"!

Not less exciting are "Flames Over Nebraska" and "Mona", with jumping rhythms and the Theremin’s raspberries, just like the metronomic "My Boyfriend's Back", where a filtered and distant voice floats on a pulsating base of mechanical-sounding bass and drums. The introspective and melancholic side is eventually completed by "Love Song" and "Stolen Cadillac", while dissonant and scraping "Synth Farm" is another episode worth of the classic Ubu discography, being saturated with filtered wind instruments, overloaded synth tunes, annoying beats and interferences. Closing "Texas Overture" gets back to so-called normality, through an involving garage rock ride, yet not safe from the usual vitriol treatment practiced by the Theremin’s whistles and synth's gurgling.

On the whole, "Why I Hate Women" marks a much welcome return for Pere Ubu, fit as never before and extremely determined to make their unique and legendary voice being heard worldwide. Extremely recommended to those who have always been following the deeds of Cleveland's one and only Ubu Roi, but also to whom should come in contact with him for the first time.

- Simon V.

Website: http://ubuprojex.net

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