PITCHFORK GIVES BIGFOOT'S CD A 8.7
Bigfoot:
I Need A Bigfoot: Sasquatch Hits Are For Squares
[Def Jam; 2008]
Rating: 8.7
* Buy it from Insound
* Download it from eMusic
Yet another reunion, you might think, seeing indie-rock icon Thurston Moore's (Sonic Youth) face on that horrid MS Paint art cover. It's actually quite accurate: Bigfoot features Steve Albini on acoustic guitars, Steve Shelley on Fruity Loops and Steve Jobs on iPod. On top of that, Thurston and his Steves decided to collaborate with Merzbow, Wolf Eyes, Soulja Boy and other noise legends. Actually, only reading the cover you can easily think that this album isn't going to be worth more than a 3.8.
But listening to the actual record kind of blows this instant impression away: this isn't your average noise record. As soon as you'll hear Shelley's 4 on the floor deflagrations (actually reminding more Kompakt records than Daydream Nation) on the opening tune, "Her Brother Thinks She's Just A Motherfucking Bitch, And You Know It's Right, Dude" (sic), you'll know that these Sasquatch Hits are going to blast off your dancefloor. We're talking about constantly surprising music (seriously, Steve Albini covering Dragonforce in a country version with Coco Gordon Moore and Xasthur screaming their lungs out over it is pretty much the freakiest musical experience you'll ever hear), challenging and innovative, yes, but always with a pop sensibility. The record's highlight is clearly "I Like 2 Move It, Do U Like 2 Move It Too?", the Reel 2 Real cover, which transforms the lyrics of the original europop hit into something more philosophical, which Socrate would've probably been proud of ("I like to move it move it, but do I actually know why I like to move it move it ? Is it because subconscious parts of my mind are compelling me to do it or just because it's a pleasant way to move my body? And if I find it a pleasant way to move it, is it because I have subconscious orders as well? Either way, you like to, MOVE IT"), while the demoniac bass is still incredibly compelling, pushing you to blast the dancefloor since the first notes.
This is a nice collection of the finest dancefloor music you'll hear this week and of metaphysical landscapes, reminding you of airlock highways - or stuff like that.
* MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/thafuckinbigfootizback
* Video: Bigfoot: "I Like 2 Move It, Do U Like 2 Move It Too?" on Pitchfork.tv
- Marc Hogan, October 28, 2008