Brainiac - Hissing Prigs In Static Couture (Album Review)

 

Brainiac - Hissing Prigs In Static Couture

(1996)


My copy: 2019 limited press on clear vinyl with blue streaks by Touch And Go.


Brainiac were one of the most inventive post-whatever rock bands to come out of the 90s, with a rising cult following that was cut short by the death of frontman Tim Taylor in 1997. Hissing Prigs In Static Couture was their final full-length album in 1996, and proved that the band was only growing with tighter production and a wider array of bizarre sounds. 

“Indian Poker (Part 3)” plays as an introduction to the twisted world of Brainiac; here they are delving further into digital trickery, with bit-crushed noise and distortion building into a brief chorus that serves as an appetizer for what’s to come. “Pussyfootin’” shows off how their production chops have grown, with the bass and drums feeling much heavier than the prior record. The crazed vocals are around to stay, along with odd, low and guttural harmonies that almost sound like burps (probably intentionally). Their penchant for pushing the bounds of digital effects is shown with screeching effects like record scratches before the song combusts into pure noise. “Vincent Come On Down” is like an Albini band on crack: the guitar is often sharp and visceral, yet there is an elated sense to Taylor’s energy that counters the cynical nature of most noise-rock bands. The vocals undergo heavy manipulation before a stereo-panned duet recites nursery rhyme melodies, proving how well the band can wrap these experiments into tightly written songs. 

“This Little Piggy” adds a new layer of texture with robot text-to-speech voices that play out of sync with the main vocals. John Schmersal’s guitars often ooze with distortion as if they were diseased. “Strung” has Taylor harmonizing with feedback and low bass, creating a horror-ballad that even uses stock female screams to lighten the mood in an otherwise sinister track. The guitar on “Hot Seatt Can’t Sit Down” is frantic before breaking into syncopation, though this is probably their most straightforward song melodically. “The Vulgar Trade” is an interlude track with a strange sample of a man speaking while all sorts of digital moans and groans build a soundscape alongside grimey bass and sheets of organ. 

Taylor resorts to his signature growling whisper voice on “Beekeeper’s Maxim” which switches from a muted, covert vibe to loud, open chords and heavy drums. “Kiss Me You Jacked Up Jerk” is truly one of their boldest tracks, with borderline comedic vocals doing spanish accents and raving in theatrical style. Still, this is perhaps the most diverse song on the record, and keeps the intensity intact even while mixing in hand claps and Taylor’s freakish falsetto cries. It takes skill to pull off some of the weirder choices made by Brainiac, and while it doesn’t totally land, it’s at least striking. Another stroke of genius enters with “70 Kg Man” which maintains a layer of bit-crushed noise for most of the song, only dropping it to snap the listeners focus before descending into an almost frightening series of looped, distorted laughs. The album then pours directly into the apocalyptic “Indian Poker (Part 2)” which is made up of a panning siren and droves of clashing robotic voices (think more interesting progenitor to Radiohead's obvious "Fitter, Happier").

“Nothing Ever Changes” is bombastic with excellent use of stereo vocals and light-hearted keys that play dissonant notes. “I Am A Cracked Machine” closes the record with the focus shifting to Taylor’s warped, dire vocal exclamations as the instrumentals slam in unison. Brainiac may be known for their experimentation, but this should not hide the fact that they were masters of writing concise, pop grooves. Surely the band knew this, and did their best to cram alienating tones and synthetic sounds into each song, building a collection of truly unhinged pop tracks. The layering, in combination with Taylor’s utterly eccentric vocal style is what made Brainiac up-and-coming underground legends. If only their work hadn’t been cut short, as it feels as though they were only one step away from a near perfect release.


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