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Sylvester Boy

Monsters Rule The World

Label: Chicks On Speed

athomas by Andy (quirk) Thomas June 13th, 2001

Could 2001 be the year the underground goes self purposely lo-fi? Blame Moldy Peaches for starting the trend, there is a new mantra that states music must be recorded on a budget of 50p and a borrowed second hand 4-track.

Sylvester Boy fit the mould well, first track sounding like a cross between the previously mentioned Peaches, Adam Ant, and The Tweenies. Other tracks take in the most bargain basement effects from Yummy Fur circa "Shoot The Ridiculant" (most notably in the title track) and dictaphone champions of fanzine-96/97 "fame" I Blame My Parents, Rebel Moomins, and Lillian (complete with a sub-Bis drum machine)

However, to write this off simply because it’s a harsh, often irritating, listen would be short sighted. There are moments of genuine brilliance. "Helping Hand", once you’ve got over the initial pain threshold, is Make Up in a tube station fighting the robot from Lost In Space. Quite possibly a good thing.

The repetitive nature though is the crucial weak point. By track 4 you’re already bored of the same monotonous Kraftwerk drum pattern and bleeping one or two note bassline imitating a C64 loading. After a promising start it must be concluded Sylvester Boy still have a long way to go to even acquire the cult status afforded to their contemporaries.

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