THIS WEEK I’M LISTENING TO...WUCAN – Axioms (Long Branch Records)

WUCAN – Axioms (Long Branch Records)

Eclectic design brings together different shapes, compositions and elements that normally wouldn’t complement each other to create a new dimension or layer of interest, and this is something that Wucan are masters of. With three studio albums and a live release under their belts the quartet from Dresden are adept at mixing all kinds of influences to create their own sound, and ‘Axioms’ – the band say that it refers to “the fundamental convictions our band is built upon” – is a melting pot of metal, 70s’ hard and progressive rock, Krautrock and perhaps a touch of jazz. And if you don’t groove on KISS’s ‘I Was Made For Loving You’ then as ‘Wicked, Sick And Twisted’ drifts into disco territory even the cracking guitar solo and dreamy psychedelia isn’t going to float your boat.

Wucan_band

But for those who riff on being a little more experimental in their outlook what we have here is a very clever album constructed by some very clever musicians. Francis Tobolsky (vocals, guitar, flute and theremin), Tim George (lead guitar, synthesizer), Alexander Karlisch (bass) and Philip Knöfel (drums) have created a musicverse with few boundaries and even fewer rules. If opener ‘Spectres Of Fear’ evokes memories of 70s’ Krautrock with a galloping riff and flute aplenty then the following track ‘Iron In The Fire’ is a bruising metallic blues thrash ‘n’ bash, with a strident bass riff, some classy guitar work, a blast of theremin and a kick-ass video clip. Personally, I would have opened ‘Axioms’ with this cut, but to be fair that’s the only criticism I have of the album. The German-language ‘Holz Auf Holz’ is, apparently a commentary on the political and social situation in their home country, and again shows itself as a younger cousin of classic krautrock; ‘KTNSAX’ is a rather left-field, synth-driven track with a multi-layered anthemic closing refrain; and the title cut is a slow-burning slice of progressive rock.

In total, eight songs are despatched with the minimum of fuss in 40 minutes and, despite its depth and diversity – or perhaps because of it – the album flies by with grace and style. It’s got to be in people’s end-of-year Top Five when the points are tallied in December, surely...

Video clips:
‘Irons In The Fire’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGj6XAhalOo
‘KTNSAX@ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw_F_RmE0BU&list=RDLw_F_RmE0BU&start_radio=1
‘Am I Evil’ [nothing to do with the album, but a lot of fun!] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqStL56Pj-A