Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Skull Kontrol - Deviate Beyond All Means Of Capture (1998)



In an effort to further everyones love of Chris Thomson (Fury, Circus Lupus, Monorchid) I think you should all hear Skull Kontrol. Chris Thomson has a specific whiny voice that for some reason really appeals to me, and Skull Kontrol is wholly different from all his past works. Here he seems to funnel Ted Leo through the DC filter (though I think he is now - or as of 1998 - based out of Chicago) (and I believe Ted Leo is from DC anyway, or around that area, but were not here for facts, were here for feelings)

Where am I going with this? I dont know...comparisons are a bitch to make, and as soon as I start having trouble it becomes apparent to me that whatever it is I am trying to describe is either hard to describe due to its unique nature (such is this album) or it requires some poetic license (of which I have none)...or maybe Im just out of clever ideas for descriptive terms...So it goes.

Skull Kontrol is more rock than any of Chris Thomsons previous bands, but somehow cuts itself a nice line between the brazen angularity of Circus Lupus and the fire in your pants ferocity of Fury. These songs hop and roll. jangly, jerky, and in a wonderful fashion, completely spastic. Nothing last too long so its a guarantee that if you like this, you will be hitting the repeat shortly thereafter. 8 songs in just over 23 minutes. All fiery rock and roll with those weird vocals. He is also helped out by a female vocalist, of whom I dont know her name. The overall effect is very fun. This album may actually make you want to dance a little, in that herky jerky fashion that no one thinks is cool. Just be careful that you do it in your bedroom and not in public, otherwise you may hurt someone, or just never get laid again.

Oh, By the way!!! Chris Thomson has been in a band since this. Called Red Eyed Legends...I am sure it is amazing...You know I dont ask for things, but I would really love to have the Red Eyed Legends...and the other Skull Kontrol album ZZZZZ...

Pretty Please?

17 Comments:

Blogger METRO/SEA said...

great record! i haven't heard this in awhile. thanks!

9:23 PM  
Blogger proven hollow said...

honestly couldnt get really "in to" any of the chris thompson bands after circus lupus. and i fucking tried really hard. circus lupus was just so good! funny side note, saw circus lups in athens ga with about 6 other poeple. one of them being michael stipe, who drunkenly spilled his beverage all over me. good times. red eyed legends i would say is the worst of the bands, but i could deliver the goods to you if you so desire. haha.

12:02 AM  
Blogger blend77 said...

ha! youre funny man...so far i like SKull Kontrol, and I liked the Monorchid, maybe a little less...but Circus Lupus is my favorite...

8:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here's Zzzzzz:

hxxp://www.m3diafire.com/?de9glxdr1vm

Did you get your Monorchid requests filled?

Thanks for all the stuff you've put up here.

2:44 PM  
Blogger blend77 said...

hey miiilo...everything wsa filled but the ZZZZZ and the Monorchid...if you could hook it up, that would be splendid...

thanks for ZZZZZ

i will post all the other things i received this weekend...the Abilene and the Regulator Watts are amazing...

but i have to agree with proven hollow that the red eyed legends are not the best Chris Thomson band....Skull Kontrol is way better....

8:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here's "Let Them Eat The Monorchid" and "Who Put Out The Fire" in 1 zip:

hxxp://www.m3diafire.com/?1gernm9jy5i

10:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Love Chris Thomson! I've seen many of his bands - Circus Lupus, Skull Kontrol, Monorchid, Las Mordidas - there is a Las Mordidas 7 inch out there somewhere, if you can track it down.

3:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Red Eyed legends plays a song on the Burn To Shine Vol. 2 DVD. you should check it out.
There is also a band pre-hoover worth mentioning called "1.6 band" it's kind of hard to find. Let me know if you don't have it. I have the cd at home and can rip it for you guys.

4:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

1.6 band and Hoover didn't share any members (if that's what you mean by 'pre-hoover') The drummer from 1.6 Band ended up being the drummer for Crown Hate Ruin, at least for a little while.

Here's 1.6 band on myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/16band

And the 'Broke Up' CD is still in print and easily available (Amazon has it.) Well worth buying.

4:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think you are right... I guess I wanted to say pre Hoover, Crownhate, Regulattor Watts, Abilene...
Theses bands all share the same family tree one way or the other...
Are any of you on Last.fm?
if so... look me up: marginwalker01

5:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

michael said...
http://www.sendspace.com/file/3dxgpj

circus lupus

solid brass and super genius

4:17 PM

5:51 PM  
Blogger P M X said...

First off, you've got a killer blogspot here. Second, that Skull Patrol artwork is too awesome for words... About Ted Leo, I believe he was in a local DC band called Chisel for awhile, but I don't think he's from around here. Props for all the great posts - especially the Dischord post. DC used to be a very exciting place for hardcore and punk... now most of those venues don't even exist except in memories and the odd flyer :(

9:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Love me some Chris Thomson. Yum. Here you can download a punkcast of Red Eyed Legends.

http://punkcast.com/352/

I agree REL is the weakest of his bands so far. But give him time. He's got a day job now.

11:50 PM  
Blogger blend77 said...

yum. ^_^

Joe Jackson was the name i was thinking of. but ted leo kind if has it too....

chisel was awesome. , i have set you free if anyone likes.

1.6 band were okay...if you want to send it over...

9:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Could somebody re-up both Skull Kontrol albums? Both links found in this entry and comments are dead...

10:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

please!

7:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can someone please re-up the Skull Kontrol eps? and/or the 2nd Monorchid album? I've love to hear em. Thanks!

8:59 PM  

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