Funf
Leave it to Clinic to release a collection of tracks taken from singles and EPs, using nothing but B-sides: there’s not an official A-side to be found here, although several tunes certainly rise to the occasion. Notorious for creative efforts that are miles outside the box, Liverpool’s most famous psych-garage band is also known for their dense layers of distorted guitars and vintage organs creating vivid, amphetamine-fueled drones and punk-edged dreamscapes. Interestingly, the integration of these B-sides into one compilation has resulted in one of the band’s most textured and interesting releases, and could serve as a starting point for the new fan. *Funf* serves up classic, Clinic psych-surges like “The Castle,” “Lee Shan,” and “The Majestic,” along with hearty sides of Stooges-styled punk fury on “Magic Boots” and haunted surf guitar on “The Scythe.” For dessert, “J.O/Love Is...” and “Christmas” are pretty baubles to be enjoyed guilt-free, and the bad-trip flavor of “Dissolution” and vaguely ‘50s inspired “Golden Rectangle” provide the dash of weird that every Clinic record needs. Yum.
On Funf, Clinic compile their excellent array of b-sides to make one fantastic listen. Flowing surprising brilliantly, these songs cover acid punk to damaged hoedowns and everything in between.
Clinic compile odds and ends from the steady flow of three-song singles that have accompanied each of their albums, covering the period from their breakout Internal Wrangler through last year's Visitations.
Clinic's 3 EPs collection showed how evenhandedly the band places its best songs throughout its long and short-form releases -- in fact, 3 EPs was so cohesive that it felt like a more logical, if less eclectic, debut album than Internal Wrangler actually was.
Clinic has been the great indie-rock tease of the last decade, always threatening to do something absolutely brilliant, to emerge from the shadow of their...