The opening strains of their self titled debut album are like a sonic statement of intent and a musical magic is charmed that leaves you totally enchanted. It sounds like an overreaction, but Super Extra Bonus Party are just that good and that is exactly what happened to me when i heard their first album. Since then, there has been a remix album (Appetite for Reconstruction)…and their new album “Night Horses”.
And believe me when i say that Night Horses is excellent. In this digital age, i have been personally waiting for a chance to get into Tower Records in Dublin city, because i want that old school experience of getting in there and finding it in the rack. It’s just that kind of album, and Super Extra Bonus Party are just that kind of band. Songs like “Radar” and “Thin Air” make a mockery of the idea of genre based rules to music creation flowing from element to element and instrument to instrument seamlessly. Numbers like “Commet” and “Eamonn” kick it hard and funky. From start to finish their sophmore release is a joy to listen to.
Where the albums go from intense rock out riffage to beautiful and haunting soundscapes, their live show is a pure rush. From start to finish. Mainly because there are nine of them onstage. Yes, nine. And it’s not a racket either, this is a not a noise contest. No space is wasted, each memeber there because he adds to the sound, to the structure, to the experience….the integration so complete the whole experience would be lacking if one of them was missing.
And WHAT an experience, the first time i saw them live i only caught the last 20 minutes of the set and i was kicking myself. The room was a tumultuous heave of bodies, the crowd as varied as you could ever hope to find. SEBP cross boundaries and everybody just lines up together and supports them. The second time was for their album release for Appetite, and the third time was for New Years Eve….andi haven’t missed one second of them onstage since that first show. I learned my lesson.
I could talk endlessly about the music, the ripping live shows, the innovation, the sheer creativity that pours forth from each release. But that gets done, and done to death. Instead, i will tell you to go their website below, and to download (for free, those lovely, lovely chaps ) their remix Appetite For Reconstruction. If you don’t like it, i for one will eat my studio monitors.
http://www.superextrabonusparty.com/home/
With a pretty constant gigging schedule they will be playing the Hard Working Class Hero’s Festival in Dublin, the heading for New York for the CMJ music marathon. Catch them live if you can…it is a massive experience.