Review: Foetus - Ache

Australian Jim Thirwell, aka any band name with the word "foetus" in it, literally crashed onto the noise scene in 1981, taking No Wave to new heights and depths. 1982's Ache is the only early album I can listen to more than once. Imagine an album influenced equally by James Brown, The Residents and Oingo Boingo. Then make it sound insane. I like his asexual funk tunes and avoid the metal and industrial stuff.

When he focused the man could be a genius. I saw him perform around 82 at NY's Danceteria, when he sang with a tape backup. He had a case of small Perrier bottles and he'd open one, wave his arms around while singing, the water would fly out, then he'd open another one and repeat the process until it was all gone. Did he manage to drink any? Who knows?

I would have bought more Foetus records back then except he tended to not list songs on album covers and I never knew if what I had in my hand was a 12" or LP.

With Foetus you have to ask if he's a nut because he's a genius or a genius because he's a nut.