Reviewed by Ian Bosworth

Surely many a dull morning has been brightened in past months by the sound of Fat and Frantic's latest single, "Last Night My Wife Hoovered My Head". This band have managed to capture on this, and previous albums, a sense of humour which is refreshing and sometimes touching. 'Quirk' has not got quite the spontaneity or recorded-in-the-kitchen feel to it of earlier offerings, but has gained commercial quality, hence the reasonable success of the single. Don't get the idea that the band aren't serious about a few issues. "Africa" is a indictment of the exploitation of black Africans, while "Darling Doris" laments the passing of a red telephone box (in the cause of progress). Using humorous style to convey a serious message is not a case of sugaring the pill. In the same way that Tony Campolo, for instance, tells amusing stories to relax his audience, Fat and Frantic seem to want to sneak the message, almost unnoticed, into the lyrics. It works. What's more it's enjoyable, and the catchy snatches of Tijuana-style brass and accapella mean the music is definitely not reserved for Christians-only company. My only reservation is that the vocals occasionally lean towards the crass drone of the Smiths (especially on 'Aggressive Sunbathing'), which is a shame, as the band (FAF) are a lot more interesting!

Also reviewed in CR29:
Though now officially defunct such is the continuing vociferous following for the zaney bunch of iconoclasts that Kingsway have cleverly picked up the distribution of F&F's own label albums, including this gem from 1990. From the sheer frolicking madness of "Last Night My Wife Hoovered My Head", to the poignantly moving "Africa", 'Quirk' is a minor classic which will no doubt shift more than a few copies five years on.
8
Tony Cummings

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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