Customer Reviews

Funky Little Demons

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4 star:		(3)
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This is far and away Wolfgang Press's best work. Since their first offerings of "Standing Up Straight" and "The Legendary Wolfgang Press" (which basically played like garage recordings with ocassional hints of brilliance) to the lively "Queer", which is full of solid, catchy tunes (and perhaps the best version of Randy Newman's "Mama Told Me not to Come" ever) to "Funky Little Demons", The Wolfgang Press have come a loooong way over the years.

With "Funky Little Demons", they present a mature, offbeat fushion of funk, soul, dance, and U.K. pop that will have you dancing and singing along in your head long after the music has faded. The lead male vocalist's voice is deep, resonant, and beautiful. Above all, his voice, like the groups complex but accessible sound, is just very different. Every time I've ever played Wolfgang Press around friends, they always ask "What's that you're playing? I want it!"

Well, go and get it, I always say. You won't be sorry. You'll be hooked with this opening track, the funky "Going South", which is just one great big, delicious sexual metaphore. "Eleven Years" and "Blood Satisfaction" harken back to "Queer". "Chains" is the best track, an unbelievably passionate, melodic dance tune. It deserves to be an international hit. The brash and high energy "Christianity" is a close second, as is the beautiful and mellow "Derek the Confessor". "So Long Dead" and "Executioner" are the weakest tracks. "She's So Soft" is an intoxicatingly fun little number. "New Glass" is a nice all instrumental lead in to the exquisitely funky "Fallen Not Broken". The final track, "People Say" deserves to be a classic and will have you begging for more.

I highly recommend "Funky Little Demons", and if you don't already have it, "Queer" is well worth picking up as well.

The off-kilter Press is most definitely an acquired taste. If you're not in the mood for ironic wit, cutting barbs, adventurous rhythms, and something you've never heard before, you'll be at a disadvantage on first listen. The most approachable track here is the underground dance classic Christianity (not quite a secular embrace!), and the rest is nearly as good. If you're in the mood for something different, try this. It may well change your mind about the predictability of quality music.

Take some de la soul-nick cave style vocals- mix in hiphop and soul-stir with a little stereo mcs and tricky-add some artfunk talking heads style and what you get is the wolfgang press's masterstroke funky little demons. Criminally underappreciated- the first six songs rival the best side 1( if it were a record) ever put to tape. This is a leap from the also excellent queer album- fld is more organic and has production that still sounds good ten years on. Easily one of the 90s best records- with the highlights being chains- blood satsifaction- christianity(which sounds like the sopranos theme song-these guys should sue)-going south- and the album closer people say(which is a classic lou reed style song). The album loses abit from cuts 7-9 but returns with full strength for the final three cuts.( still fairly good songs though). The album is a mix of wahhed guitars- burbling electronics-horns- shuffled hiphop-some groove bass- and michael allens low baritone that despite a lack of range works perfect with the music. I never really got earlier efforts by this group but by the late 1980s this 4ad act had begun to strike gold- and as a farewell this is walking away with heads held high and leaving behind the best for last. GEt it now- truly essential!!

The Wolfgang Press is a band one of a kind, they dare to mix English beat with pop and then with electronic music and then use a metals section and include all that sounds to manufacture interesting tracks full of experimentation such as "Christianity" or the awesome "so long dead" (one of my favorites) you can find also funny songs like "11 years" or "Derek the confessor" a complete album released by a band that is interested more in real connosieurs audience than in an audience seeking for a smash hit that reaches the lists
HM

This album flew so far under everyone's radar when it came out, but what an album! I've looked for them on the web and not much has come up. I can only assume they've broken up. I found myself in a position a few years ago where I lost my copy of this album. Finding a replacement ended up being a LOT of work, so if you can get your hands on this CD, I'd say burn a copy for backup because it's definately worth it!

This is an unusual gem from 1995. Though The Wolfgang Press hasn't done anything since, they had been around for about 15 years prior to this recording and you can find some of their cds as imports. This album is the perfect mix of funk, r&b and electronic music. Deep baritone vocals by the lead singer and atmospheric music by the band. A great lost recording, really. This is a must have for any rock collector.

This is the perfect album. Darkish irony, strong deep vocal,elements of funk, electronic music, good song writing.

This is brilliant single from strangely underrated band.The best part of the cd is remix done by Michael Brook, who's best known for his colaboration with David Sylvian.