Fight Like Apes – The Body Of Christ And The Legs Of Tina Turner

From the record title alone it’s clear that Ireland’s Fight Like Apes haven’t toned the weirdness down any for their Andy Gill produced second long player. Neither have they diluted their deliciously scuzzy synth sound, the b-movie film samples, or the black comedy lyrics, which retain the power to flay the skin from your face with their bitterness.

The first two songs are exemplary of their might: Come On Lets Talk About Our Feelings combines sarky humour and a huge power synth riff to impressive effect, while Jenny Kelly is infectious alt-pop in all the right ways. Thirsty catches the band in a more reflective, dare it be whispered, palatable mood, but then chanteuse MayKay starts wailing like she does and the natural, noisy order is restored to Flape’s twisted world.

Sadly from the midpoint – shall we say two inches down from Christ’s belly button, but above Tina Turner is good stuff – the record starts to lose itself, and drifts to a conclusion, just when it should be smacking you about the face, karate style. [PJ Meiklem]