A double helping from Tauranga – still low in fidelity but arguably high in catchyness.
The mouthful that is The Ellen Degenerates Fanorexic Club brings together a “who’s who” (or rather, “who the f**k”) of members from the area’s music scene – Austin Cunningham and Luke Turner (Threat.Meet.Protocol), Joel Burgin (Grown Downz, the previously covered BURG) and recorded “Dirty Dave Shannon’s Designer Studio” (drummer for Bandcamp favorites Flogging A Dead One Horse Town.)
In a time-old tradition that is Cunningham’s sardonic “wit”, the band released the record during New Zealand’s current lockdown imploring listeners to “don’t go outside for a walk, don’t read that book, or write that song. Let me, ELLEN! Be your saviour. But please above all save me from…. ME!“
Somewhat of a step away from the nihilistic moments that frequent both Threat.Meet.Protocol and Grown Downz, the self titled album lends more to Stephen Malkmus/Pavement and the college-rock scene of the late-to-early ’90s.
With its tongue stuck firmly in its cheek lyrically, it’s hard not to find yourself nodding or tapping along to the hooks in “Bu-Bu-Bu-Rrittos”, “Chump Change” or the album opener, “Explaining Not Complaining.”
It makes you wonder what the band are capable of in a more lavish studio setting. If they wanted to (chances are, they probably won’t.)
The Ellen Degenerates Fanorexic Club is out now on Bandcamp.
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