Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Budgie
Label: Noteworthy Records
Release: 2006
Rating: 4/5
The cult Welsh band that delighted us across most of its albums with a unique knack for making music that was punchy, complex and innovative all at once, not to mention a whole string of cheeky, cynically seasoned titles for songs and albums, has risen from the dead after more than 20 years, just when most of us had made peace with the idea that these rascals, who are seriously hard to pin down musically (let’s say they play art rock), would belong to “the good old days” forever. Our daydreams of a new Budgie album have now come true, but what’s the result? Does the new record, which to the great delight of countless fans of this wonderful band wears a trademark off-the-wall Budgie cover as well as a title worthy of all their 70s classics, live up to the huge expectations and the many questions about the band’s sound after such a long time? Since the 80s and their last album “Deliver Us From Evil” (1982), which was their most commercially accessible record and an important contribution to the influence of the new wave of British heavy metal, the new Budgie have been reborn without giving up their instantly recognizable sound, only this time they’ve upgraded it with modern production. Alongside the feathered chieftain Burke Shelley, whose vocals have grown far more sophisticated and far less frenetic over the years, and longtime drummer Steve Williams, who hasn’t let up one bit on his massive drumming style, “You’re All Living In Cuckooland” introduces new guitarist Simon Lees, who replaced longtime guitarist John Thomas. I can say without much hesitation that he’s a huge asset to the band, because it’s his guitar playing that added the modern sound that now makes them interesting to new generations of listeners too. Have Budgie managed to successfully marry modern production with their recognizable style, echoed above all in Shelley’s unique vocals, dirty riffs, unusual solos and often variable rhythm section? The answer is a resounding yes, and all the nostalgics will be thrilled with one of their best works ever, though of course not the best (“Never Turn Your Back On A Friend” (1973) remains their greatest masterpiece by a mile).
The album opens with the excellent, fiery “Justice”, which immediately serves up the punchy, signature riffs they’re known for, Shelley’s one-of-a-kind vocals, a dirty rhythm section and an obscure but great guitar solo. The “uninitiated” listener gets the answer right away to why Budgie were so highly regarded at the start of the 80s even by the disciples of the new wave of British heavy metal. After a short electronically tinted intro, Budgie lead us into their unique blend of artsy hard rock again on “Dead Men Don’t Talk”, this time laid over a funky groove. The whiff of classic Budgie gets even stronger, and Lees’s guitar work here comes very close to what the legendary Tony Bourge once cultivated. The romantic ballad-ish “We Are All Livin In Cuckooland”, with its outstanding mix of melancholy and cynicism, is one of the album’s peaks, sounds very retro, and I think it will eventually earn the status of a Budgie classic. Especially captivating are Lees’s superb melody on acoustic guitar and Shelley’s vocals, which nicely prove that he’s a very good singer even when it takes a bit more romantic pathos. On “Falling”, which opens with cowbells, Budgie return to their hard rock experiments. The dirty rhythm section, punchy riff and slightly paranoid vocals once again prove to be a highly effective combination that successfully merges retro and modern elements. I’m especially taken with Lees’s jazz-tinged solo in the middle section. From here on, the album calms down a bit again. “Love Is Enough” is a short ballad-ish track built on Shelley’s melancholic vocals and acoustic guitar, nothing special and the kind of thing that was typical of their past albums too. It’s definitely the weakest track on the album. All the more thrilling, then, is the completely retro-minded “Tell Me Tell Me”, where dreamy psychedelia, dirty metal riffs and witty guitar solos once again blend superbly. A song of many moods that without a doubt deserves the status of a Budgie classic. “(Don’t Want To) Find That Girl” could also have sat on some early Budgie album. It’s complex hard rock that brilliantly combines a bluesy rhythm, dirty riffs and a few small tricks on acoustic and keyboards. Toward the end Lees treats us to one more rowdy solo that’s bound to make all the band’s fans happy. “Captain” is another of their mellowing, unique, psychedelic-tinged pieces, with lyrics that feel like they were plucked from somewhere in the early 70s. The playfully titled “I Don’t Want To Throw You” is one of the more direct tracks on the album, with a fairly simple rhythm, a great solo in the middle section and plenty of good, punchy riffs. The final track, “I’m Compressing The Comb On a Cockorel’s Head”, is, in its musical structure and mood as well as of course its ridiculous title, worthy of the golden days, and without a doubt the high point of the whole album, the track that best revives classic 70s Budgie. After the sound of marching (an army of budgies setting off on a war campaign against roosters?), we’re surprised by Shelley’s frenetic vocals (yes, just like in the early days), a building rhythm and a dirty riff, joined by some of the wittiest solos I’ve heard in recent years (at one point the guitar imitates clucking and chirping) from any heavy-leaning band. Art rock at its finest.
“You’re All Living In Cuckooland” is one of the most successful comebacks to the music scene by a legendary band that had been all but written off (at least as far as studio releases go). Budgie have made an album that delights in every respect, because it contains all the recognizable elements that thrilled us on their best past works as well as a few new ideas we hadn’t seen before. They’ve combined all of this successfully with modern production, which shows most on the guitar parts. Even though the album as a whole sounds pretty retro, that’s exactly what I quietly expected, since any attempt at crafting potential hits (like on “Deliver Us From Evil”) would surely have failed. Budgie have recognized themselves again as a creative force, finally stopped worrying about the possibility of a commercial breakthrough, and made an excellent album that, besides thrilling plenty of old fans, will surely win them a few new ones. Our Celtic feathered friends have stepped into the new century reborn and determined to show the music world once again that loud music can be extremely witty. Everything points to them delighting us with new works in the future as well. Fans of innovative hard rock and art rock: the budgie is watching you again and warning you that you live in cuckooland, where most of the media keep trying to plant (musical) cuckoo eggs in your nest. Budgie will put a decisive end to that. Aren’t you happy?
Line-up
Burke Shelley – vocals and bass guitar
Simon Lees – guitar
Steve Williams – drums and percussion
Production
Burke Shelley & N. Thomas
Track list
1. Justice
2. Dead Men Don’t Talk
3. We’re All Living in Cuckooland
4. Falling
5. Love Is Enough
6. Tell Me Tell Me
7. (Don’t Want To) Find That Girl
8. Captain
9. I Don’t Want to Throw You
10. I’m Compressing the Comb on a Cockerel’s Head
