The Chewers - Chuckle Change and Also digital LP

Finally getting around to doing some of these reviews. Interestingly enough did two and contacted the bands/labels and have heard nothing back. So, either the reviews were not to their liking or they were unhappy with the delay. Really gonna have to be a bit more picky about what I review, and think that from now I'm not going to waste my time unless the band has something really special to offer up...such is the case here... Up next to satisfy your diabolically demented side, is The Chewers. Gotta tell you this is some pretty whacked out wacky stuff, highly original. My response to Travis of The Chewers, upon first listening to the music, was "Kind of a minimalistic hillbilly thing with a touch of the Butthole Surfers/Killdozer/Devo.  Hard to pigeonhole, but left me toe tappin with a smile on my face." Here's a little bio of sorts, "The Chewers are Travis Caffrey and Michael Sadler, two freaks from the woods of West Virginia (by way of Nashville), USA. We each play various instruments, in order to create layered arrangements of deadpan, primitive rock. The songs feature characters immersed in psychological hells, grappling with deep disconnect from the society around them. These subjects are generally presented with a deadpan and crooked sense of humor." Lots and lots of songs on this thing. The reviews I read mention a Beefheart connection, which works awfully well (wish I had thought of that) and I might even add Zappa, minus the jazz fusiony noodling. It's fairly simple in structure, but it takes a certain kind of mindset for musicians to create these kinds of compositions.  These guys must be a trip in real life, would enjoy sitting down with them over a cup of coffee and feeding off their trip.  An acid trip, for sure.  Not the pretentious psychedelic Pink Floyd-ish intentional rigamarole, this is out there like the moon is out there, not because it wanted to be, it just is. Imagine a blues band made up of guys from an asylum, not bad crazy, good crazy.  Lyrically they are equally out there, but anything else would not suit the music. Here's a little bit from the tune below... He keeps all he knows In black plastic bags On the floor is a carpet Of ego soaked rags And just out of sight The world spins and it brags Of life and of light And of tracking with tags While he plants metal spikes And he waits... This kind of raw talent and creativity makes me intensely jealous, since I was born with the rhythm of Steve Martin in The Jerk. If you want to read some reviews, all good, that are probably more enlightening try Hotel Amnesia, Drug Punk, or Music From The Other Side of the Room (I did not read these reviews until after I did my own meager one, so the similarities are just coincidental, or perhaps factual). Anyway, to get in touch with the Chewers, buy their stuff or whatnot, they have an understandably trippy website over at Art Pushers and of course there is Soundcloud. This here sample was one of my faves and typifies their sound... Tornado of Stasis

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypaf4tnT9jU]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nqaSviwOOo]