Fingathing And The Big Red Nebula Band - Fingathing > Reviews > The Big Red Nebula Band

Author's product rating:   

Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency of tracks
Value for Money

Advantages:	Pretty far out stuff, I ain't never heard anything like it before
Disadvantages:	Hard to get into, will need to see live to get full experience

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

#NB: This is already in Ciao Café, but having waited a week or so I decided to help Ciao in moving it by myself so they can just delete the other one. I don't think I get paid for it there anyway.#

It was a couple of months ago, sometime in May I think when I went to one of Glasgow University’s Student Unions, the Queen Margaret, for a Mr. Scruff gig. I’ve been a sort of semi-fan of Mr Scruff for the past couple of years and he’s a pretty good artist. The only downer of the man is that he likes to do a six hour set. So instead of playing about 10 albums worth of music straight, sometimes he splits the gig up. And that’s where Fingathing come in.

Both Fingathing and Mr. Scruff originate from Manchester and they’ve been going for about the past five years. Their first album, “The Main Event” came out in 2000 and their second, “Superhero Music” came out some time later. They’re with the Manchester-based Grand Central record label and they’re a two-man band consisting of DJ Peter Parker (who some of you may know if you’re Mancunian and keep your ear to the Manchester music circuit) and Sneaky who is known by a more sensible and real name but for the life of me I can’t quite remember. Anyway, they debuted their latest album “Fingathing and the Big Red Nebula Band” halfway through the Mr. Scruff gig, as well as playing some of their older stuff for two hours. And what a stonking two hours it was.

In hindsight its probably easier to appreciate Fingathing if you’ve seen them live like I have. Its not just the music, but in a similar manner to bands like Bjork or Goldfrapp, but they put on a great visual show as well. Peter Parker has under his control a scratching deck and some sort of audio visual mixing thingy, as behind him during the gig were three projection screens. On these were projected random and fairly disturbing cartoon images of slightly monstrous characters beating each other up or something. But on the other side of the stage is Sneaky. And Sneaky is where it gets interesting and where Fingathing separate themselves from a usual brand of trip-hop.

Sneaky is playing a double-bass. Actually, no he’s playing an electric double bass, and in a similar way to their electric guitar counterparts, he has at his disposal numerous distortion pedals. Well I think it’s a double-bass as cellos usually require you to sit down while basses need you either on a high stool or standing. So what you hear is a mix of traditional hip-hop beats with electronic staccato and the throbbing distorted bass of the strings that Sneaky is producing. And as much as may sound absolutely terrible, like jam and peanut butter, it tastes great. Err.. sounds great.

Anyway!

On stage its quite a sight, as there are cameras looking at Parker and Sneaky to project onto the screens behind them, and whenever Sneaky plays low notes the camera watching him reverberates wildly and because he has (or at the gig he had) a screen behind him you see his image repeated ad infinitum and reverberating. Really there’s not much of a better way to describe it as to be quite honest, it beggars description.

Unfortunately, I find that writing about sounds is about as useful as trying to describe the taste of yellow, but I hope that’s sort of given you an idea of what they sound like.

Onwards to the album.

Its got thirteen tracks, not including one bonus track about six minutes into the last track. And here they are

1. Walk In Space

The album starts off with an easy listening track to ease you into the world of Fingathing. We start with what seems to be Parker repeating a phrase on a Casio keyboard which is then followed by some scratched vocal samples and then Sneaky playing some flowing playing on the higher strings of the bass (I’ve forgotten the actual classical term for it). From there Parker hits the main bass and start scratching. Sometimes I find with this album its hard to distinguish which is the actual double-bass as its being distorted sometimes and which is the electronic stuff that Parker hammers out with grandeur. A great track to start on, as you’ll get a feel as what’s to come in the album. Kinda inspirational too as it sorta makes me feel as though I’m in a rocket heading spacewards.

2. ReAnimo

Things slow down here. We’re in a dark place now. The bass is heavy in this one and pretty predominate throughout the track. It lightens up later till the end of the track with some plucking of what I hope is the bass, but it sounds more like a cello or even a viola.

3. LAVA

More of a varied drumbeat than before and more of the double-bass playing. Mixed into this are some strange flute-like sounds. Again most of this album is thick with bass, but less present in this one. Its still making the water in my glass shake. Slightly repetitive and not one of my favourites off the album.

4. Open A Door

This is one of these tracks that you may tend to get on hip-hop albums, specifically the Beastie Boys, which is mostly them farting around. Actually its more a precursor to the next track.

5. Themes From The Big Red

This is a pretty good track. Good ambient sample in the background of the track while more thick throbbing bass drums itself into your skull. It lightens up later and Sneaky comes in with more gentle playing and crescendos (gets more vibrant and louder) towards the end. Sorry to those who have never learnt an instrument and don’t know about the classical terms I’ve used.

6. Bolus

I actually really like this track. It awakes some dormant lust for this track and I have absolutely no idea why. It starts with a sorta high pitched sample repeating itself mostly throughout. In the same manner to Fat Boy Slim’s four bar build up, this does the same (when you hear the same bunch of notes four times then another bit comes in). Its not a track you’d dance to. Halfway through we get what sounds like a computer talking and an owl hooting like someone stuck a synthesizer down its throat. In typical fashion, Sneak returns with Cello and then the first three parts combine into a tripped-out mix. The track sorta works in reverse to the end, finishing with the first sample it started with, if you catch my drift (would then become) drift my catch you if.

7. Rock The Whole Planet

This is probably the best track on the whole album. Sneak starts off with some random fiddling on the bass and Parker provides us with some excellent samples that build up to the main bit. Sneak comes in with a driving bass slightly akin to a slowed down Jaws theme while Parker brings in a typical hip-hop beat. As the name suggests vocal samples of the title are scratched about briefly when the best bit kicks in. Sneaky goes slightly mental on the low notes of the distorted bass and sounds bloody excellent. From there we go back and forth from heavy bass to more gentle action.

8. Big Bang

Starts off thick and keeps getting thicker until about a minute in when Sneak comes in with his usual tricks. Hence the title, its big and it bangs quite a bit through the song. Mellows out towards the end. Another good one.

9. Cluster Buster

I think guitar samples are used in this one, pretty up-tempo this one and is similar to the last one, except it thumps more throughout the song. Again it ends on a more relaxed note like the previous one.

10. Lady Nebula

Very gentle and ambient. Like something you’d sit listening to while wasted. Nothing special, but relaxing considering the beating your brain has taken.

11. Music To Watch Aliens By

This track makes me feel as if its in the wrong place. Its got that final, grandiose, “seeya later” feel to it and so probably should be stuck at the end of the album. It’s a good track nonetheless.

12. Synergy

Kinda Similar to the track Bolus, makes you wonder why you like it. Lots of strange samples and beeps and boops throughout. Good work on the bass by Sneaky in this one and the drum loops are superb.

13. Return To Ert

This starts off gentle. But being the end track of the album its got that same feel as track 11 does and so builds up to a massive peak that ends with a high pitched wail. The extra track (I have no idea to its name) is like a mixture of some demo you get on electronic keyboards and some weirded out beepy samples.

The general feel of this album and what Fingathing are trying to achieve is to take you on a psychedelic journey into their own personal trippy universe where hands are heads and fingers shoot laser beams. At least that’s what it looks like on the album cover.

I liked it. I think it’s a pretty good album. People who are into that kind of alternative, indie, electronic stuff should appreciate this. It’s pretty original in its sound and well worthy of my record collection. I personally hope to go out and get their other albums. Hope you do too.
 

Pictures for the review

Display pictures

A live session of the band. Haven't the foggiest where it is.