By Dave O Rama
mylesblack.com
This new release from BC Gulf islanders Myles Black and the Pearly Whites, at first glance, comes out dressed up like a rock n roll slut. Which it is certainly is. But calling Folk Ass Bitch Music simply rock n roll doesn’t do the recording true justice. Moody and irreverent and with nine Pearly Whites on board FABM possesses the emotional thrills of a ride on the bipolarcoaster.
With excellent production by Black and backed up by his engineer Edward Lee FABM can rock with the best party platters (Cry Cry and Baby Lets Rot) but it’s also spiked with a playful sense of neurotic theatrics (Bitchfest), mournful cabaret (Transformer) and even a couple of flavors of whimsical country campfire storytelling (Air Machine, Totally Boss).
The track Tak’ Wahnin’ wriggles like a fish in the bottom of damp boat, squirming and convulsing, all instruments utilized strictly to cast percussive hooks as Black delivers some salty poetics over the Pearly Whites burbling jazznastics. The track definitely reminded me of something that you might hear from obscure New York musician/composer Arto Lindsay, which demonstrates how this infectious collection of songs draws influence from a broader palate and catches you by surprise.
The whole thing ends only eight songs in with Unwanted Pop, a totally fun and bouncy piece of retro gooey bubblegum satire that completely contradicts its own title. Folk Ass Bitch Music delivers edgy and irreverent songwriting bursting with big complex flavors and reeking of manic perspiration. Totally fun, totally boss but totally too short, which definitely leaves you craving more. In a strange way this collection of songs from Black and the Pearly Whites, with its multiplicity of pop stylizations, really lends itself to reinterpretations, and I can easily imagine a remix collection as a great companion to this finely crafted piece of musical nonsense.
