Society Social Flies cassette
Strictly speaking, I am not sure what to think of the name of this band. It is either clever and intriguing enough to entice the curious listener, or just embarrassing, too arty for its own good, and a bit snobbish. But then what do I know, I actually think PINK TURDS IN SPACE is a good name. In any case, I think the moniker works in this particular instance. SOCIETY is a one-man project from Philadelphia (the brain behind it also plays in MESH, thanks Discogs for the support), and Social Flies is its second tape. Like all solo projects, Social Flies has its own cohesive personal dynamics, and utterly reflects with accuracy the creator’s intent and vision. It is often a tricky exercise, and you cannot get away with a bad song by blaming the bass player as one often does. SOCIETY’s music is very lo-fi and purposeful and tends to have an ’80s avant-garde feel, which is something I am always a little suspicious about. It sounds pretty free, rather original even from my perspective. The music has a minimalistic feel and, with some songs openly borrowing those typical tribal beats, I am reminded of anarcho-punk demos from the ’80s from ZOUNDS or the EPILEPTICS, as well as the more experimental and versatile bands like the APOSTLES and the EX or even, indeed, early CHUMBAWAMBA. The primitive sound certainly confers an old-school vibe and, were it not for the vocal delivery and some arrangements pointing to inspired modern American bands like STRAW MAN ARMY (they are listed as influences for good reasons), I could have been tricked into believing that Social Flies is an unreleased All the Madmen tape. However, the cover is hideous, and I cannot see the connection with the carefully crafted, deceptively simple music. Other than that, give SOCIETY a go if you are curious or just open-minded.