11 Dec 2024
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Wendyhouse - Album Review: Puddlekopf

21 Nov 2024 // A review by Daniel Jones


I received Wendyhouse’s album in the post, a homage to the old style of reviewing a record. A CD, with hand-drawn art works reminiscent of Radiohead's Kid A era, and the lyrics of poetry to accompany. Once I’d managed to borrow a CD player from a friend, I was able to let Puddlekopf wash over me. Puddlekopf is a chance recording and drawing project by Wendyhouse, preceded by The Love Quadrangle, Wendyheads, Pan and Veggieklopse.

This genre collective piece is work is an explosion on your senses. There is no formulaic narrative (that I can hear), instead an exciting guess at what is to come next. Starting with Entlang der Flut and industrial style poem, reminiscent of Kraftwerk and Sebastian Tellier, performed in spoken word (with German accent), takes you to the late 70’s synth-wave sound with dystopian style lyrics. We then move onto The Best Worst Artist Ever, another spoken word piece about societies delinquents and artists. Similar to a John Cooper Clark track, with its vivid depictions of living on the bread line or suffering for your art or just depression manifested into mental illness, with an industrial spoken word style, this piece really captures the rawness and pain of being an artist… or at least thinking you are one.

We depart from the industrial spoken word style, momentarily, to find this 8 track album move into a more psychedelic tone with Feel Your Last Best Worst Artist. This track calls for a more Devendra Barnhart mood, not what I was expecting! There is a vocal melody! With lyrics clearly written by and artist, with lines such as "Quotidan detritus won’t tickle the turtle”, either paying homage to Scottish painter Jennifer McRae (Quotidan Detritus) or refereeing to everyday items used in an art studio. This track is a nice change of pace and calls to mind early Brian Jones Town Massacre. We move back into the more obscure-art-school style with the remaining tracks, That Remindings Me, Meltflakes Pop, Meltflakes Unpop and Feel Your Last Best Worst Skull, Just an Action Movie.

The final track Just an Action Movie, is a beautifully written commentary on the basic man's blueprint to living, the man who doesn’t like to think too much and wants to be entertained with lyrics like “bring in Charlton Heston”, he needs to be stimulated without effort “watch me outrun this forest fire’, I really love how this has been articulated in such a basic conversational style yet leaving a contemplative mark. 

Puddlekopf is an immersive collection of work, which has clearly involved a lot of effort musically, lyrically and Illustratively. This 8 track album is for the purest, for the art school poet, the seekers of societal commentary or the self-indulgent. i recommend this thought provoking collection of work fans of the avant-garde, industrial and spoken word genres. 

 

About Wendyhouse

Wendyhouse formed in 1992 as a one-off art installation for Soundwatch '92, Artspace, Auckland.

The band is still going! Existing around core members Bryce 'Mr Pudding' Galloway and EE Monk, Wendyhouse have often added personnel to flesh out recordings and live appearances.

Wendyhouse make sporadic appearances live or on recent CD/Comics. The most recent project by the duo is Puddlekopf a CD/zine (2024). Puddlekopf (and other releases) is available for NZ$10 + postage by emailing [email protected] or posting PO Box 27527, Wellington 6141, NZ.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Wendyhouse

Releases

Puddlekopf
Year: 2024
Type: Album
Banana Wine
Year: 2018
Type: Album
The Wendyhouse Christmas Album
Year: 2005
Type: Album
Pan
Year: 2004
Type: Album
Utopia Metopia
Year: 2000
Type: Album
Live From The Pillow
Year: 1999
Type: Album
Hot Action Plastic
Year: 1994
Type: Album

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