ARTIST: Wet Sans Brolly

ALBUM: Cornfed Humans

LABEL: VibaRhythm Media

REVIEWER: Matthew J.

DATE: 12-13-09

Instrumental rock with just a hint of experimental edge, Wet Sans Brolly's debut album is hard to categorize. There are some definite jazz elements, especially on the drums of "Fuzz Minor" and the pianos of "Magnetic Fifths," but "Gran Torino" and "Answers and a Postcard" sound almost like vintage exotica, with flutes and bells adding some unexpected flourishes. With its soft accordion, "Elsie's Theme" highlights the Parisian influences brought by guitarist Pearl Owen, while "Mortal Flesh/Bloodless Children" is weird rock 'n' roll straight out of some alternate version of London's Swinging Sixties, hinting at band creator Mister E's musical upbringing in England's underground clubs. As the album progresses, things get even less predictable; title track "Cornfed Humans" uses wah-wah effects on both guitar and piano, making it sound like a lounge song as heard from the bottom of a swimming pool. "Three Poems" is unabashedly jaunty, the guitar chords overdriven but upbeat, and then, after 11 instrumental tracks, a singer with the descriptive name of Lily Thornflower shows up to deliver the album's coup de grace, a torch-song inspired piano ballad. As unpredictable as this is, it's largely pleasant, conjuring a vibe that's not quite vintage but not quite psychedelic, either; while Wet Sans Brolly don't actually sound like The Residents, they have a similar knack for tapping into a past that never quite existed. In any case, an interesting and enjoyable listen!

Check out www.wetsansbrolly.com to hear Mister E and Pearl Owen for yourself.