Messthetics Greatest Hiss

Messthetics Greatest Hiss
Label: Hype to death

Michael Uhila
Reviewed 2009-01-18

This should be on cassette. Before CD's, pro-tools and THX sound quality there were musicians like the ones on Messthetics Greatest Hiss putting it on cassettes. Messthetics is an acquired taste and it's for those who appreciate that DO IT YOURSELF attitude. At times you listen and want to say "that sounds awaful" but than you listen closely and say "that's interesting". Some songs sound as if the lead singer is the engineer and trying to sing at the same time. Some songs you hear the guitars clearly but the drums sound like they were recorded across the street in a phone booth. Sometimes I feel like I'm watching a series of bad C-Movies and this was the soundtrack that never was. Other songs you can hear the basslines louder than drums, lead singer, and they all have to run back to hit record. Some of it sounds re-masstered and other parts are not shitty enough for a toilet. Expect to hear creative songs that are lo-fi, experimentation, ROCK OUT with the COCK OUT, proto-type electronica noise, scientific wobbling, fuzzy guitars, British accents, quirky lyrics, and that "TOO broke" to afford a quality studio sound. OVER-ALL the WHOLE CD works for me and it's playable. ALL TRACKS are FCC clean. MY PICKS are 2, 3,4,5,7, 10, 15, 18, 22, 25

1. Accoustic jam that stops between takes and continues on like Bob Dylan with a cold
2. The intro is a messy fuzz sound with percussion and that noise that sounds like an airplane about to crash.
3. Punk, pre-new wave with some quirky casio sounding effects. I love this stupid ass song.
4. A dub inflecued track that has some reverb to the drums, Twilight zone sounds in the middle, with audience in the background- Dope shit!
5. A mellow sythesized track that could be a soundtrack to a stupid C-Movie
6. Sustained keyboard in the intro and that nice melody with a driving bass drum kick.
7. That fuzz guitar with that down beat and stupid lyrics. The lead singer reminds me a lot like the B-52's lead singer Fred Schneider
10. Low powered political punk with MIKE JONES!
15. Kazoos and singing about the twizzlers. Silly!
18. Like the frequency of cable TV going haywire. Eeerie track but the truth is so enjoy it
22. A start and stop song that I wish I could hear the drums more but it's great anyway
25. Short Driving punk beat with nice picking from the lead guitar.

OVER-ALL the WHOLE CD works for me so play it. ALL TRACKS are FCC clean.