Times New Viking – ‘Rip It Off.’ (Matador)

Calling Times New Viking noisy is rather like saying bands on Sarah records are twee or that thrash metal bands are too loud and too damn fast. It suggests an aesthetic equivalent of not being able to see the wood for the trees, to coin a cliché.

Because Rip It Off is a very noisy album. Quite honestly, I haven’t got a clue what they’re going on about on a lot of the tracks. But you know what? It doesn’t matter. Not. One. Iota. Over the course of sixteen tracks in about thirty minutes (you DID read that right) this is a sheer joy to listen to from start to finish.

The press release mentions Robert Pollard, Stephen Malkmus and Richard Hell. To me, it reminds me of Yo La Tengo jamming with early Sonic Youth playing the Moldy Peaches LP. And like that Moldy Peaches LP, will some of the songs might appear like little sketches, they do seem fully formed (unlike the way, say many Hip-Hop albums seem to be making up the space with skits or Damon Albarn’s rather half-baked Democrazy LP.

I’ve played this album several times since it arrived. I know that some folks won’t get it. But it’s here, taking no prisoners and having an excellent time of itself.

Why pussyfoot around? Get stuck in!

****
Rip It Off is out now on Matador

Times New Viking -‘Drop Out.’ mp3