Regurgitator
Tu-Plang (1996)
Regurgitator are like the herpes of Australian music - they refuse to go away and cause an itchy sensation (er maybe.) Their biggest years were in the 90s, when their first two albums - this one and Unit - were massively successful (and in Unit's case, damn catchy retro.) They tried to come back by being a 'Band in a Bubble' (it didn't work.)
The group's debut album Tu-Plang was notable not just for providing several big Hottest 100 tracks, but also for its variety. Covering pop, alternative, hip hop, rap rock, punk and electro, it was a hodgepodge of styles.....and not all of them worked.
The Album
The successes are several, and make the album worthwhile. Opener I Sucked A Lot Of Cock To Get Where I Am is possibly the catchiest song about using the art of fellatio to get ahead....well, ever (it may also be the only song about that topic). A simple yet appealing riff is tied to some occasional harmonies, and the whole thing is headboppy (pardon the pun.) Although it's just electro noise, G7 Dick Electro Boogie is strangely appealing, with some rather entertaining anti-capitalist lyrics set to some thumping beats. Blubber Boy is another example of the Gurge's ability to write 'pop' tunes with an underground edge, Miffy's Simplicity is a very enjoyable slice of punk-tinged rock, while the only hip hop song that hits the mark is the blatant parody of Pop Porn, where every single lyric seems to refer to 'gats' and the protagonist's impressive semen distribution skills, as well as his incredible rhyming abilities; if it were serious it'd suck, but thankfully it's blatant parody.
A couple of songs are honourable mentions for being nice efforts but a little weak - Music Is Sport is an impressive piece of metaphor, mainly in being able to tie the live music experience to the sporting one, while Kong Foo Sing's massive, messy sound and half rapped/half sung vocals create a decent tune, but one that does grate by the end.
Other songs miss the mark completely. Couldn't Do It (Happy Shopper Mix) proves that nobody should ever do Muzak ever, Social Disaster is intolerable rap/rock noise, F.S.O is intolerable punky noise, Manana is a dirge and Young Bodies Heal Quickly is pointless.
The Verdict
I enjoyed Tu-Plang when it was released, and I still like most of it today, but as an overall album there's too many weak spots on it, to be fair. It's a perfect album for the iTunes generation because some of the songs are essential, while others are unnecessary. It's also not as good as its followup, the consistently better Unit.
My rating: 6.7/10
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