Bum Creek
are a fairly
wacky trio who relocated from Canberra to Melbourne a few years ago, and have
been causing musical destruction and confusion throughout the country and world
ever since. I remember my friend telling me he saw them play in New Zealand once
in a drained swimming pool. It was almost like a John Waters movie marathon of
endurance, because at least fifty people would leave after every song. Ladders
as percussion, jumping on trampolines, blowing horns with no real melody, and
causally screaming at the top of their lungs in some unknown language are
general descriptions of a Bum Creek live show. So, how would that translate
onto record, all of that deranged madness? Would it be even listenable to even the
most trained of experimental ears. Well, yes – surprisingly this record is a
pretty accomplished collection of ‘enjoyable’ beats and drones. 

“Bollywood” opens with
a looped keyboard riff and gibberish vocal melody, and some kind of synth thing
soloing in the background. Then the horns come in, not New Orleans horns, but
the retarded horns of your ten-year-old son practicing in his bedroom after
school. It sounds awesome; this record is sort of like the memorable melodies
and improvisations they get out of a live show rolled into one. No bullshit and
awkward stage antics, just good weird music.

“Pterodactyl” takes me
back to one of those
Eno
ambient records, sort of like
Discreet Music, or
something more relaxing off side B of
Before and After Science; it could probably
do with a nice dance remix and deluxe 12” release. The whole record itself it
like an ambient head-trip, it's never too harsh or challenging, a good balance
of extremes where the most interesting stuff is going on in the very background
if you listen carefully enough.

“Eww..Icky” especially, and the whole record, is an interesting contrast to the live show. Whereas
seeing them live shows you the humour and hilarity to mental instability,
AL
 is sort of a sad and beautiful snapshot of it. It’s even slightly haunting at
times, and really well produced with the panning of different sounds and
instrumentation.

“Weird Prince” sounds
like someone falling slowly into a dark abyss and never returning. I guess the
record does justice to the live show, but very subtly – if they played this
live with smiling faces and prancing about the stage, you’d feel a different
way. But listening to
AL
in the confines of your own home is a very unique
and scary experience. Definitely worth buying for fans, or even strange ambient
enthusiasts of the Australian underground.

7.8/10