There are times when a distracted mind might get to wander into matters philosophical or perhaps even matters existential. Or, perhaps, this somewhat perverse reality that we exist in might instead simply drive our ears towards “Gung-Ho” by existentially oriented, but still Glasgow based Mysterons, going by the name of The Rotations.
“Gung-Ho” is not a mainstream album with these twelve songs all sounding much like anthems for spatially disposed art school graduates. Bleak melancholy and shambling rhythms pervade all that you hear that, whilst still too structured to be avant-garde, appears to be one dimension to the left from the decaying mediocrity of reality. Perhaps these are philosophical ramblings or perhaps merely the result of having pretentiousness permanently on your table as your preferred side dish but these sad stories of localised disturbances of the Force actually prove quite affecting with the often fragmented soundtrack precisely complementing the laconic vocals that have been duly infused with poetic intent. This is Tom Waits and Mad Meg after a spell on the crack pipe. This is Badalamenti deciding that the cliff edge is a step too far but, who cares, as the job has been paid for. Some might even say this is a lost soundtrack to a Russian animation film and some might even say that this is what you get when you forget all that you have previously heard due to an unforeseen UFO abduction.
You might think that having Soledad Bravo or Dina Rot in your record collection would be enough to establish your credibility as a connoisseur of music but the truth is that you need an album by The Rotations to truly persuade unbelievers that you are the focus of all that spins at 33pm in this world. Art has meaning and “Gung-Ho” spells it out for you, me and everyone else and that’s why “Auld Lyne Sang” finds itself reprised in the last song on this album.