So prolific were Dope Body at the time of recording their Lifer album (Drag City, 2014) that Kunk ended up in the can, minus a few finishing touches, at the same time. One way to minimise future effort at least.

Ten new songs laid down on tape by way of relaxing between the rigors of proper recording. Hence the overall looseness of Kunk, highlighted particularly well in the laidback ‘Down’ with its rumbling, groovy bass part trundling along beneath the thoughtful and free-floating guitar lines.  

That everything contained here started life as a jam remains very evident throughout due to the distinct lack of vocal parts in many of the songs and the open-ended felling of the bulk of the material – songs begin with little if any build-up and finish on the whole pretty abruptly, signifying that they’ve served their purpose in working out tensions or a specific idea. That the results also managed to end up as 99% fully fledged tracks is pretty good luck.

‘Void’ is probably the most punishing song on the album, six minutes of unrelenting hollering and pounding of instruments to close the album out. A lot of tension needed spun off that day it seems. No doubt some of those previously mentioned finishing touches were to do with the running order of Kunk and the thought put in to this being the final track pays off well as you find yourself led up to it and then flung off the edge as it stops dead.  

Having managed to give themselves a free pass in respect of the writing and recording of Kunk, the sounds contained within it promise that the next album Dope Body fully apply themselves to should be one helluva listening experience.

Kunk is available from amazon & iTunes.

The latest from Emmett Kelly and his assembled players was assembled on the march. Touring around the place, staying in numerous places both salubrious and less so, impressions were picked up directly and indirectly & channeled into the 11 songs of Goes Missing.

Kelly's fifth album of his own material, Goes Missing is a mixed bag of styles. Starting off mean, moody & magnificent with 'An Angel, A Wizard' there's a familiarity of sound along the lines of Robyn Hitchcock but also elements that are harder to put your finger on. 'Be What You Are', however comes in with enough jangle to make The Byrds jealous but is a short & sweet power pop gem, cut off almost in its prime.

Two songs in then and you already know this is an album you'll be returning to as the signs bode well for short, sharp bursts of lively, energetic fare along with more considered numbers such as the heartfelt 'She Don't Want You'.

It feels like a long time since I last listened to an album such as this. There's an almost timeless quality to the songs though - you can imagine it being the kind of record that the use of one song in a Brat Pack film soundtrack a couple of decades ago would have propelled to brief success, followed by years of solid work in the same vein that only a dedicated fan base would be concerned about once prevailing trends in music had reasserted themselves.

Kelly doesn't give the impression of caring much though and that's another of the strengths of the album - he's able to do his own thing at his own pace so there's no missed opportunities through studio or label pressure. This is great work from a guy patiently ploughing his own furrow and you know that if he does go missing it won't be for good & what he returns with will be equally special. 

Goes Missing is available from amazon and iTunes.