Mr Sterile Assembly

Um yeah so its been a while.....and I've got nothing for it.no excuses just didn't have anything to write about.Well whatever i got something now so SHUSH!

Mr Sterile Assembly are a experimental bass and drum duo that hails from our lovingly neighbours New Zealand.Can't really put them in on genre.Too funky to be punk? Too punky to be alt? Too alt to be funky? (Contrary to the popular belief, Indie is NOT a real genre, but its too late I suppose) But isn't that the best kind of music though? In any case it different, its unique and it rules.

I had the pleasure of seeing them last Friday at Blackwire Records, i kinda forced myself to go because I was just getting lazy around the house and i needed to get out.The lineup also features some local bands including Yes I'm Leaving (abrasive, loud and yet simple indie rock trio), Crouching 80's Hidden Acronym (Winner of Best Band Name Of The Month.feel good hip-core.) and Ya Aha (chilled instrumental stuff).

When i first sussed out the band and checked out the album cover for Transit, the first thing i thought was "Nice album cover"…but went i got there I'd never ever think that it was their stage outfit.MIND=BLOWN.

 

So yeh as it turns out. They really do dress up like that.But only when they're playing live mind you….well, they went back to normal clothes on Friday but who knows what happens in NZ?

I don't think I've even seen a band that admits they talk a lot because they don't have that many songs to play (I later found out that may be because some of their songs have guitar, sax, etc and it was just the two of them).Is that a bad thing? Not for these fellas.They are such a delight live, seeing MSA was so much fun.The highlight had to be "Whyte" when they starting speaking some sort of syncopated gibberish before a lone bass lines creeps in and Chrissie starts singing and the tap-drumming on cymbals slides in jumping round all over the place like a tub of bouncing balls that just toppled over.I just stood there soaking it in and it felt like i was going unsane, but in a good way.Their stage antics and dressup are really awesome aswell, At one point, Mr Sterile (im talking these names from the CD liner notes) got up off his kit and started shaking everyones hands, including mine, before jumping back on and starting playing again.Awesome.They will get you dancing awkwardly and even think about what they're actually singing about.If they ever play a gig near  you, you are a fool to miss out.

                                

The new album "Transit", which is now available off the Tenzenmen label, is also pretty frickin amazing! The colourful notes, unorthodox beats and stern words just jump around everywhere smacking the clouds of your imagination, and yet they're in perfect sync with each other.There is actually a lot of variety here with a few upbeat tunes, few more steadier and some denser and wackier tunes, never a dull moment, it all works.The aerobic drums in this are awe-inspiring and its in a healthy relationship with the more settled bass notes and chords.And their nonchalant yet astounding political lyrics sung by the distinctively duo vocals are in a league of its own.Its actually somewhat very melodic for a rhythm driven album and the guitar and horns here are more of a supplement so that's a nice change.Its hard to choose some of the standout tracks as they are all brilliant but some really really really awesome tracks are "Hibakusha", "Jesus Heals The Blind", "Drought" and "Whyte".I should add that it's also mixed really well.The CD come in a neat package with some extra art and stuff in the booklets.

It's hard to say what other similar bands sound like MSA but i read somewhere about similarities to Mr.Bungle, Primus, The Mother Of Inventions, etc, which wouldn't be wrong I suppose but maybe a little more than that.Someone said they are the Anti White Stripes which i think its a lot more fitting.There's really nothing like it you know, if i really wanted to try to explain it i'd say its funky post-punk with the wackiness of Mr.Bungle, the  polarising pop feel of Devo but with the the dark political abstract of Rudimentary Peni.

In all honestly I can't really explain the music itself, it's just so diverse.Yeah its DIVERSE-CORE lololololol…*cough* well I've been listening to this album all week and I am dumbfounded about how good it is.I INSIST YOU CHECK THEM OUT! They are the best Band to come out of New Zealand since....since..uh, come to think of it, I don't really know any other NZ bands out there.Oh there is that Antagonist A.D but I couldn't care less.

Live Photos credited to Shaun Tenzenmen

Oh and a shoutout to Shaun Tenzenmen.One of the best when it comes to DIY and distro music.He introduced me to some really awesome Asian indie bands like Artless Note and The Mornings and even saved me a rare OOP Robotosaurus Sayra Bahk Vol 1 and 2 EP on tape.Suss it out.


p.s Click on the Tenzenmen link to buy the CD and shirts.