Busdriver - Computer Cooties
Written by Chi Chi Thalken on October 19, 2010While we wait on his new solo album and the much anticipated debut of his band, Physical Forms, Busdriver hopes to hold his fans over with this free digital EP. It’s an interesting mix of new material, remixes Busdriver did of other artists, remixes that different musicians did of Busdriver, and songs by others that Busdriver guests on. So, most aspects of the artist known as Busdriver are on display here.
Things kick off with a collaboration with Daedelus called “Thick Enough,” which is a little surprising in how it’s basically a house song. I know Busdriver incorporates elements of this music, especially on Roadkill Overcoat, but I don’t know if he’s done anything quite this traditionally house. This is especially interesting since most of his work with Daedelus has incorporated a mixture of glitch and Sixties kitsch.
The next few original songs enter into classic Busdriver status for me. Something about the pounding, slightly off-kilter beat of “Computer Cooties” really does something for me. Maybe it has to do with seeing him kill it in concert before it had been released. Maybe it’s the inverted soul sample during the chorus. Then again, you’ve also got Busdriver spitting sarcastic and absurdist lyrics, so he’s really firing on all cylinders here.
“Man Baby” comes off as a great compliment to its preceding track with bouncing toms, backwards hi-hat, and synthesizers laying down the perfect backdrop for Busdriver to unleash the emotional crooner he’s slowly been revealing over the last few albums. Lyrically, it’s some of his most straightforward and painful.
“Beats Way Sick” is probably my favorite amongst the “Featuring Busdriver” tracks, which was put together by the German collective Moderat, and more than lives up to the title.
As far as the remixes go, I feel like that’s probably the weakest section of the EP and could have been cut down or packaged separately. Nothing’s terrible, but I feel like the release would have been tighter, and would have put more focus on the original material, which is pretty strong.
The closing song, “Coon Talk,” is some of Busdriver’s most biting political work, providing some strong emotional content on the state of America’s contemporary race relations. Add in some heavy drums and an urgent synthesized bass line, and you’ve got a hell of a statement.
As a free download for the fans while he’s recording a few other projects, we’ve been given quite a treat. If songs like “Coon Talk” or “Man Baby” aren’t making the final cut for the next album, I can’t wait to hear what does.
Title: | Busdriver - Computer Cooties |
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Label: | S/R |
Year: | 2010 |
Rating: | 7/10 |