Part Chimp

Joeyfat front man M. Edward Cole caresses his microphone, holding it to his chest as he might a child, "Oh, Part Chimp, Part Chimp" he croons. His band share few musical traits with the object of his affection but there is still a link that bonds the two. Each group emphasises the salience of going further - of being more.

To be ‘more than’ is a feat in an arena where there is nothing left to say that has not been said. The evening had already bore witness to opening quartet Shink carving expansive instrumental pieces and then, in turn, pounding and shrieking as – yes! - Albini acolytes possessed. As such a description indicates their music is generic to what should constitute a fault. It also fulfils the most valid goal for a post-rock band by sounding fucking glorious, and while time will tell whether it could become ‘important’ here and now – as an entire audience’s legs jerk in an unsolicited fashion to a rhythm section so tight and frantic – here and now, ‘important’ is irrelevant. Shink are not more than the sum of their parts, then, but consist of some very good parts, which is often enough.

Back to Joeyfat, and on stage Cole, tonight dressed as a hot dog vendor, has launched into his next song; waving a spatula at the audience to accentuate his strained spoken vocal and then plunging into the crowd wild-eyed shouting "you and you and you and me" - his mic a world of possibilities, his band most reminiscent of the Shipping News, the performance a minimized picture of the Flaming Lip’s live psychosis.

It is because of Cole and his manic, amusing (and iconoclastic) attitude toward his role as a vocalist that Joeyfat are exceptional in a sphere of guitar music which is painful in its conservatism; where humour manifests itself in song-titles which denote and disguise what is often studious and derivative nonsense. This is "math-rock" to laugh to – to dance to.

Part Chimp are exceptional too. But Part Chimp are exceptional because they are loud and intense. ‘Loud and intense’ does not begin to describe quite how loud and intense Part Chimp are. Their bassist attacks the low-end of the E-string as if his whole being is focussed on one taught metal string, his hair either flying or stuck to his face. Their drummer pulps his kit and audience’s ears in simultaneous splendid abandon. Part Chimp live are whale song for Merzbow fans and a means to discover which parts of one’s skull vibrate for everyone else.

It finishes with a final juddering squeal. More? Joeyfat were more entertaining than your typical math-rock band; Part Chimp took your typical math-rock band and tore them asunder in a raging chest-shaking mess of more: more volume, more passion. Common sense dictates this would make for a fantastic split single (which, lest I forget to mention it, is the release this live event launched). Memory recollects it made for a momentous gig.

To find more information on Part Chimp's split single with Joeyfat, click here