Blurt/Chik Budo/Electricity In Our Homes Corsica Studios 16/1/2008

First Gig of 2008 and back in the cosy confines of the always charming Corsica.

Blurt are a fish of a different hue altogether though, having been around nearly as long as the Fall, with almost as many albums. Their set seems to be drawn at will from this vast catalogue, the band play like true veterans and are acutely aware of subtle nods between themselves. This is UK skronk at its finest and are a worthy lesson to the support acts before them, a power trio of drums, guitar and sax. They leave plenty of space to wig out above the solid abstract grooves.

Frontman Ted Milton, alongside the like of Billy Childish, is a one man industry, creating art, poetry and of course music over a quarter century. He looks tonight a hybrid of ageing bouncer, (big BIG suit, wing tips, slick back receding thatch), and Tony Wilson’s weird uncle, a fitting tribute as Wilson gave them a recording break on ‘A factory quartet’ (FAC24 1980), Milton also appeared on ‘So It Goes’ in the former guise of puppeteer Mr Pugh’s Velvet Glove Show. He delivers his vocals with thespian theatricality belying this past.

It's kind of annoying to think that if Milton hailed from Brooklyn instead of Deptford, he would held up on high in the same way as John Lurie or James Chance. If this is the last ‘Last’ tour as their website suggests, although there may be a little dadaist humour at play, make sure you see this band before its all over, they should be a national treasure and not slumbering in art house obscurity.

(from existentialbubblegum.blogspot.com)
















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