Three years on from Myth Takes and under a year since drummer Jeremy Fuchs died tragically, !!! have hit back with Strange Weather Isn’t It? a dance punk funk-tinged record. Like a lot of bands this year, such as Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem, !!! have produced one of the best albums of their career so far.
The Sacremento group went to Berlin to record most of the album, to soak up the creative experiences offered by a diverse exciting city and in their own words “make their Berlin record”.
!!! are known for their exhilarating live performances and Myth Takes was certainly a record that translated better live. Strange Weather Isn’t It? has managed to bridge the gap between album and live performance and the result is their most cohesive album to date.
An unashamed party band this album is full of catchy hooks and dark bass grooves with, a sprinkling of jazz. The opening track ‘AM/FM’ is an easy catchy opener with a hint of the multi-layered production to come. ‘Jamie My Intentions Are Bass’ does what is says on the tin, a bass driven disco-edged track. Further on, ‘Steady as the Sidewalk Cracks’ is reminiscent of an early 90’s Primal Scream song, but with a modified and souped up production.
Continually building and darkening, the penultimate track ‘Even Judas Gave Jesus a Kiss’ has a funktastic hook made to make you move. !!! save the best until last with a killer hedonistic floor filler tune ‘The Hammer’ to close.
This is a record dense with layers evoking a ’70s New York funk and soul sound, late ’80s Manchester mixed with infectious drum loops and percussion. A slick production of only nine tracks, small but perfectly formed.