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Ultra Dolphins

Why Are You Laugh
2006
Robotic Empire

Ultra Dolphins - Why Are You Laugh (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Brian
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Published on March 14th 2006

Ultra Dolphins play the type of spasmodic post-hardcore that puts you in situations you should feel uncomfortable in, but somehow, you sort of enjoy. Why Are You Laugh is a more or less reissue of an old EP recorded way back in the winter of 2002 and a track from another EP, recorded in spring 2004, tacked on, but these tunes sound surprisingly fresh and modern, in only the best of ways.

Tracks like "Duck Butter, Then" and the manic "Synchronized Swimming" prove the band contains a frenzy unmatched by few others. The three-piece weaves in and out of solid guitar rock riffs and spit lyrics, with jarring bass strums on the latter of these songs. Think something like Bear vs. Shark tying the Locust's hands behind its back hostage-like and carefully monitoring the perimeters, but still, it's hard to understand the eerieness, driven tempos and schizophrenic moods employed within matters of seconds. Combustible fits of noise wreak their way through mini-car accidents only to emerge from the wreckage with a few apathetic bruises, carrying on the rest of the song, like "Shoont"'s strange "in placebo, baby!" melody.

I really feel like I'm underselling Why Are You Laugh here, which is unfortunate, because despite how old these songs are, again, they truly ring with a creative energy and relatively tongue-in-cheek bravado that's worth hearing. And as these tracks really are quite dated within themselves, it'll be surely interesting to see what's delivered on the band's full-length coming soon on Robotic Empire now that they've been secretly developing their style and writing away.

MP3
White Substance

STREAM
Shoont

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 17, 2006 at 1:12 AM (EST)

Between the band name, the album name, and the cover art, this is the most weirdly funny thing I've seen all day.

Posted by benz on 2006-03-16 10:34:08

"only six songs? man, this makes me very glad that i have the original CD and cassette eps"

coooool dude!

Posted by Marlon on 2006-03-16 09:54:56

If nothing else: the band has a kick ass name.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 at 10:16 PM (EST)

only six songs? man, this makes me very glad that i have the original CD and cassette eps.

Posted by gladimnotemo on 2006-03-15 20:40:57

Wait, you praised this to no end, then gave it half a star?

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 at 7:40 PM (EST)

"bad grammar overload"

"Linguo dead?"

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 at 6:12 PM (EST)

check out capsule theyre on robotic empire also and they kick ass......anchors im looking at you

Posted by sirens on 2006-03-15 09:40:47

amirite?

Posted by benz on 2006-03-14 22:38:51

"Is this the band with gay dolphin tee-shirts? If so, they're incredibly awesome"

You could be thinking of Affirmative Action Jackson. They had those hilarious shirts when I saw them. One of their members is in Armalite.

-benz

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at 10:17 PM (EST)

they be what

like i do

dolphins ultra tink tonk

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at 10:09 PM (EST)

"the drummer is in snack truck.

there's no way "some of these guys" could be in snack truck because snack truck is only two guys and one of 'em ain't in the ultra dolphins.

(statement made based on the show i saw the bands play together. if there were dudes absent, or filling in, or whatever, than i might be wrong)"

I'm pretty sure that Snack Truck has two drummers now, one being from Ultra Dolphins.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at 7:00 PM (EST)

I'm going to get a tattoo of a dolphin diving into my ass crack.

-ken

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at 4:25 PM (EST)

I never understood how robitc empire signed these guys. But I guess they have been on a downward slump for the last year or so.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at 3:09 PM (EST)

Is this the band with gay dolphin tee-shirts? If so, they're incredibly awesome.

Posted by Sluggo on 2006-03-14 12:49:28

the drummer is in snack truck.

there's no way "some of these guys" could be in snack truck because snack truck is only two guys and one of 'em ain't in the ultra dolphins.

(statement made based on the show i saw the bands play together. if there were dudes absent, or filling in, or whatever, than i might be wrong)

Posted by mjg on 2006-03-14 10:42:21

this is a great band name

Posted by benz on 2006-03-14 09:39:31

What's wrong with the band name and album title? I think they're great.

Posted by cantsitstill on 2006-03-14 08:31:31
My Score:

Worst band name of 2006... so far.
Cool band though.

Posted by shindo on 2006-03-14 07:48:33

The cover art to this is amazing.

-adam

Posted by SilentStorms on 2006-03-14 05:49:52
My Score:

Sentence fragment is a sentence fragment. Great band, and I think some of these guys are in Snack Truck also.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at 1:17 AM (EST)

You are all wrong.

Posted by Dante3000 on 2006-03-14 00:32:25

I can't believe this band supports genetically modified organisms. That shit is sick.
-Dante

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at 12:14 AM (EST)

what a strange coverart

Posted by kirbypuckett on 2006-03-14 00:11:12

Terrible album title.

- Kirby

Posted by etwiels88 on 2006-03-14 00:11:05

Sentence fragment