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Street Dogs - State of Grace

Hella

Total Bugs Bunny On Wild Bass
2003
Narnack

Hella - Total Bugs Bunny On Wild Bass (Cover Artwork)


Review by: JiveSide
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Published on March 19th 2004

Sacramento’s new “it” band Hella is an interesting blend of ambition, motivation, and god only knows what else. “Total Bugs Bunny on Wild Bass” is a unique twenty minutes of percussion heavy noise that is anything but tight and everything but straight-forward. This is experimental drum practice on tape, named, and packaged for limited mass consumption. The chop heavy structures of these seven songs are exhausting, spastic, energetic, at times inspired, but on the whole pointless.

A song is born in melody and its accompanying harmony, something that is possible with percussion, but Hella merely throw riffs and fills together rather than establish a theme and develop it. Aside from over-the-top drumming, the music on this record is nonexistent save for programmed blips and cackles here and there, in fact, why name songs when they are unrecognizable from one another? “Total Bugs Bunny on Wild Bass” is an ambitious freak out lacking focus, substance, and any value that would justify a price tag. With the exception of “Who Ray” the other six tracks on this recording offer little entertainment value and even less artistic value.

Zach Hill (drums), and guest drummer Carson McWhirter, provide almost all of the sound that Hella produces, the leftovers are courtesy of Spencer Seim (guitar, programming), but what sound is generated by the drumming is uneven, mistake laden, and nothing more interesting than a child with two pencils, a flat surface, and one hella case of ADD. I applaud the DIY attitude of this Sacramento duo, recording the entire record in home, but had these tracks been cut in a studio the shock would be too much to endure. This recording presents itself as relevant, unique, and though-provoking, but in actuality it is an aural splat on the wall (a common degreaser will take care of the mess). An interesting experiment, but unfortunately a difficult listen, I suggest Hella find some focus and concentrate on substance rather than whatever it is they are doing because the current plan is a waste of hearing, and we all love our ears.






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    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 26, 2004 at 2:52 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i'm sure if i recorded myself beating off while taking a crap on an infant with the theme song from jurassic park playing in the background you assholes would call it genius

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 26, 2004 at 2:12 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    this is an amazing band. granted, this album is a little different, but anyone who has ever played, listened to, or even heard of music outside of against Me or Death cab for Cutie will agree that Hella is uniquely brilliant. get "hold your horse is". phenomenal musicianship and rockin as fuck.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 at 10:05 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    The Advantage is where it's at.

    Posted by Romeo on 2004-03-22 18:54:03
    My Score:

    Some guy below me:

    If you dont like a record you should review it and say why... if this site had 5star reviews for every cd it would be lame, err lamer heh

    Romeo

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 22, 2004 at 1:48 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Very good review. You should do more. You don't care for this band and did a great job of explaining why. I'm sure you could do a more positive review just as well. A Also, to the child who asks why did you write this if you don't like the band: Do Siskel(RIP) and Ebert only write revies of movies they like? NO! They give many movies a chance and explain why they like or dislike them just like this person did with this review.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 21, 2004 at 2:34 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    great live band

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 21, 2004 at 6:08 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Oral splat.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 20, 2004 at 1:42 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I can't comment on the record or band as I'm unfamiliar with both, but this review was written extremely well. Good job.
    -Janelle

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 7:24 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    It sounds like really bad recordings of a tech hardcore/metal band trying to cover techno. I will recognize talent that went into it but i couldnt sit down and listen to this for entertainment.

    randomdipshit

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 3:54 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    fuuuuuuuuuck that.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 11:59 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    this band is hella fucking lame, their name is hella fucking stupid, and nor-cal is hella fucking whack

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 11:01 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    straight-forward???

    allright... whatever

    Posted by squirrelbait on 2004-03-19 04:44:31
    My Score:

    I agree that both Hella and The Locust are better live than on their records, but I wouldn't call their records boring at all. I'm seeing Hella this wednesday, I'm psyched. Plus my band is supporting the Locust at one of their shows. Whoopee!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 19, 2004 at 3:25 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    To me, these guys are similair to the Locust, in that their recordings are pretty boring and don't really offer a whole lot, but their live shows are really good. It's really cool to watch these two play off each other and just go completely insane with their instruments. . .and stuff.

    Posted by squirrelbait on 2004-03-19 02:49:15
    My Score:

    Wow.. shitty review. This band is clearly not your thing, so why would you review it in the first place? This EP is a bit more abstract than their full-lenghts, but I still enjoy listening to this.

    So to all people who've never heard Hella: Pretend you've never read this review and go check out Hold Your Horse Is, The Devil I'sn't Red and Bitches Ain't Shit But Good People. You won't be disappointed.

    Posted by Jesse on 2004-03-19 02:16:52
    My Score:

    Meh...it's not for everyone, but it's good to stretch your ideas of what "music" is. It's like art and the dada movement.

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