Ostrich Von Nipple — Plays Shitty Tunes
The CD is presented is a clear flip lid DVD case- this features a 3D lenticular taking in a moving illustration of large pillow headed humanoid figure in a orange & white pattern onesie- smaller in one corner is a bug-eyed & white rubber masked figure with pink string like hair…and from pictures of seen this is Von Nipple. The Ep was ltd to 300 copies, and it’s certainly a bizarre 'n' original bit of packaging.
In all the CD takes in nineteen minutes of music and six tracks, and clearly the main influences sound wise is The Residents- these comparisons are made even stronger when four of the six-track here feature the distinctive guitar work of Nolan Cook- who has been working with The Residents for more than a few years now. All six songs are fairly lost & wondering affairs built around a blend tick-tocking- to Carnival like electronics & Otto’s shifting vocal style which moves between sing-song & rather sinister, cartoon-like, croaky & electro modified. The four tracks featuring Cook have his typical wailing, twanging & chugging form of playing- which will be instantly recognizable to fans of later day Resident's work.
I guess on the whole it’s a fairly fun & weird ride of an EP, with my stand out moment coming in the form of “Swarm & Puncture”- with it’s darting ‘n’ bouncing electro bass-line, warbling higher Carnival synth lines, clip-clopping beats & weird chanted vocals layers from Otto. My problem is at times it just feels a little to close to comfort to The Residents, and unfortunately, this is made worse by the addition of Mr. Cook.
So in finishing I’d say if you’re a fan of later day Residents stuff- that has a more off-kilter jam edge to it I think you may well enjoy Ostrich Von Nipple Plays Some Shitty Tunes. I just wish there had been more distinctive/ original elements at play here, as they do seep through from time-to-time, but never really enough to make this stand fully in its own particular sonic glow.