a series of CD albums featuring various artistes

Reviews
which are far too long for the other page

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 12th April 2026
The most significant impact of this volume is the presence of a brace of new contributors (Wilding, Corrupt Animal Juices, Rodents Conquer New York, The Communion, Needle Park and Sui Yen See). Then there is the sheer range of variety displayed by the various contributors: harsh electronics, avant gardening, country and western, 1980s synthipop, punk rock, post punk, progressive rock and whatever genre you care to place Howl in the Typewriter in. Surely it is not possible for anyone to like or dislike every track here.
Howl in the Typewriter - Meningitis Finger
Now, I admit I’m biased here. I hate, loathe and despise heavy metal . . . so obviously I love this vicious satire of the genre. The art page that accompanies it is a splendid parody of those cheap and nasty third division death metal albums generally of Scandinavian origin that were briefly popular during the 1990s. Perhaps the music has a few too many chords in it to qualify as genuine doom metal and parts of it sound quite musical in places (ooh, naughty naughty) but as a piece that points and laughs at a truly ridiculous musical genre, I applaud it . . . and those vocals! Will Mya ever forgive pStan for what he did to her voice? It’s splendid! By the way, is there actually any difference between heavy metal, death metal and doom metal . . . and do I really care anyway? Nice one, pStan.
UNIT - Lines Diverge
Because I dislike the sound of electric guitars, they rarely feature in our work. Our instrumental line-up consists primarily of alto saxophone, organ, bass guitar and drums (well, if it was good enough for The Graham Bond Organisation, it’s good enough for us) yet Keilan is a highly competent guitarist and I know he likes to play guitar so I wrote this to grant him an opportunity to blow the dust off his 6 string and have a bit of a bash. This is one of nearly 30 tracks inspired by or directly related to railways, especially derelict or abandoned railways. On joining the group, Rachel said I appear to write pieces on four subjects: birds, children’s homes, railways and right wing, conservative politics. Perhaps she’s correct.
Sui Yen See - Gokuakuninn
Have any of you heard the French post-punk outfit Métal Urbain? Combine them with early period Throbbing Gristle and the result would sound very much like this: a thunderous metallic beat stops and starts, a simple 2 note figure, over which a synthesiser blasts a series of abrasive noises. Described thus, the piece may not sound particularly impressive . . . but in fact, either through speakers or headphones, it’s one powerful sonic deluge. My only complaint is that the piece is too short. Very impressive. Note: while the sound world displayed by this piece reminds me of the two groups mentioned above, this does not sound retrogressive or old fashioned. Indeed, this sounds as if it could have been recorded at any time between 1975 and 2025 . . . which is a prodigious achievement.
Jing & The Kaprikorns - Campfire Song
Here is another fine example of the mutant country and western favoured by this outfit. If you don’t like country and western, well, give it a spin anyway because, as Doctor McCoy might say: it’s country and western, Jim, but not as we know it. This time we are given a purely instrumental gem that provides a gentle respite after the sonic slab of malevolence provided by Sui Yen See. The instrumental playing is first rate, too. Note: in a 2025 email to me, the chap responsible for this group said ‘I ****ing hate country and western’. How is that possible when he’s able to produce such a splendid example of it here?
Awkward Geisha - The Ballad Of Geoffrey From Rainbow
I didn’t realise there was a chap called Geoffrey in Rainbow. Did he join after Cozy Powell and Ronnie James Dio departed? No, I suspect this to be a different Rainbow. Lots of jangly guitars, bass guitar and drums plus a vocal with a slight delay effect contrive to present us with an entertaining pop ballad. I’d like the vocal to be more prominent in the mix but this is a matter of personal taste. The song features sudden lurches into different tempi plus a short burst of controlled chaos that create unexpected elements in a delightful pure pop piece. The guitar playing is crisp, clear and precise. I don’t know who Geoffrey is but I hope he’s flattered by the tribute given to him here.
UNIT - The Bridge
This is derived from my short story of the same name. It describes the adventure of a teenage boy who meets a strange lad by an old railway bridge (long since abandoned of course) who, we discover, is from 1975. The ascending synthesiser melodic figure that occurs three times in the piece is a quote from one of my works for chamber orchestra. It sounds more effective here! Time travel, ghosts and abandoned railways combine to form half a dozen of my short stories and consequently they form the basis for many of my railway pieces, too. This is one of the more effective examples and I am justifiably proud of it.
Howl in the Typewriter - Too Dumb to Shit
I find rock and roll really tedious . . . boring drivel . . . so this piece is delightful. Suppose Elvis Presley had discovered LSD25 in 1960 then entered the recording studio and forced his backing group to imbibe the same chemical cocktail . . . the result would sound very much like this. Thus far, pStan has given heavy metal and rock and roll the damned good thrashing they each deserve. Quite right, too. The playing (as usual) is faultless.
The Large Veiny Members - 9/10ths Of The Law
This bunch are godspunk regulars who rarely disappoint us. Like Nil by Nose, they venture into all manner of musical idioms and are rarely predictable. A drum machine, synthesised bass, Gary Numan type keyboard and distant echo vocals hurl us into 1980s synthi-pop territory. I’d like the bass to be more prominent in the mix although this is less of a caveat when heard through decent speakers. Note: on virtually every volume of godspunk you’ll notice certain tracks sound more effective through headphones while others sound better via speakers.
Corrupt Animal Juices - Chew On The Scab
I remember how minor, D.I.Y punk bands sounded circa 1976 . . . very similar to this . . . which is not a criticism, merely an observation. However, there’s a squealing keyboard here (I think) or else one of the guitars has a weird effect on it. Musically simple and basic, this seems to have a most unpleasant lyric so it’s a shame the vocal isn’t louder in the mix. Despite that, if you enjoy the sound of early punk rock (before all that ‘oi’ and Crass nonsense corrupted the scene) then this will not disappoint you.
Proud Fuckoo Band - Mind Yer Business
This bunch generally treat us to heavy rifferama with distorted guitars and they provide this here . . . in spades. I’ve never been a fan of this kind of music and I don’t generally enjoy their work (which probably means 97% of other listeners will love it) but the bass guitar (both the sound of it and the playing) is superb. I really wish pStan didn’t sing in octaves - I’ve never liked vocals where one voice sings an octave above another. However, this is purely a matter of taste and doesn’t detract from the power and passion of the singing itself. There’s a lovely contrast between the lead vocal (in your face) and what I’ll call a response vocal, sung far more gently with slight reverb on it. Yes, this is definitely one of their more impressive tracks . . . but it needs a bass guitar solo!
shaun robert - aqueous
Is this the strangest piece on disc one? Possibly. Certainly it almost defies description . . . but I’ll make an attempt. A single electronic keyboard, perhaps some form of synthesiser, provides a minimal bubbling figure, slightly repetitive, over which a vocalist sings or, more accurately, croons a melody that sounds as if it’s intended for a ballad circa 1958. The two elements are utterly incongruous yet the combination is oddly effective . . . yet it shouldn’t be! I can’t quite discern all the words which is a shame. For me, this piece sounds more effective when heard through headphones. I had to listen to it three times (once through speakers and twice through headphones) before I felt sufficiently confident to describe any kind of response to it . . . and I’ve still failed to do it justice.
UNIT - The Newstead Arch
When I selected this track for godspunk initially I replaced it with The Whitchurch Tunnel then reverted to my original plan. Rachel said I ought to submit both tracks since they are related, both musically and lyrically. Keilan then said they might sound effective if they appeared together. I was not convinced and also I know how much time pStan spends trying to create the most effective running order for each godspunk so I was reluctant to make his task more difficult. However, I suggested the two tracks would sound interesting if heard in succession but this was only ever a serving suggestion. That pStan decided to follow Keilan’s advice is a credit to his generosity for they do indeed sound convincing when heard thus. The track is actually derived from a dream I had about visiting that lovely arch (demolished in 1987) and meeting this extremely unpleasant boy on a bicycle which caused me to be trapped in a time and space from which escape was impossible. This sounds better through headphones than speakers.
UNIT - The Whitchurch Tunnel
This tunnel fortunately still exists although the railway above it was abandoned decades ago. This number is also derived from a strange dream I had only here the protagonist is a girl who looked very similar to the lass who is possessed in The Exorcist. The saxophone figure appears again in a later number with an answering phrase but this is its progenitor. Karen says both these pieces remind her of late 1970s Wire (which is a significant compliment) although I don’t hear any similarity. Colin’s saxophone playing is a highlight of this piece.
Howl in the Typewriter - Candy Train Tsunami
Evidently pStan decides to maintain the train theme here which is a nice effect. The title is an anagram, by the way . . . but I refuse to tell you what it is because it’s very naughty. Acoustic guitar and blues style electric guitar combine to form a late 1960s groove (but with a 21st century production) to which a crisp bass guitar and subtle percussion are added. The vocals are superb - loud and clear with a very clever, witty lyric in which railway terms serve as a series of metaphors for this tale of a torrid and ultimately failed romance. There is also a minimal organ part here and there which only ever plays isolated chords now and then. Also, he mentions a greenfinch and for that reason alone, this track acquires monumental status in UNIT headquarters. Seriously, though, I rate this as one of the most impressive tracks pStan has ever recorded. It is strong, vibrant and highly effective without those strange lurches into different tempi or keys that inform many HitT pieces. There is one unexpected chord change at around 4 minutes that takes us by surprise (which I’ve now ruined for you if you’ve yet to hear the piece) but otherwise this is a splendid ballad that I suspect will be my favourite track of this volume . . . but I’ve not played disc two yet.
Rodents Conquer New York - Red Hessian Books
Scissors or shears supply a hint of a rhythm to which is added an electric guitar . . . an impassioned singer renders a curiously cynical mien whose topic remains obscure. A single drum joins the melee half way through the proceedings to beef up the rhythm but the percussion is always quiet; it is the singer and guitarist (possibly the same individual) whose presence arrests our attention. This is a strangely compelling piece despite (or perhaps due to) its lonely, chamber music quality.
Nil by Nose - Condensed Splitting The Atom
Check out tracks by The Large Veiny Members and Nil by Nose on godspunk volumes from two or three years ago. Ah, you may think: so that’s what they sound like. Well, yes - that’s what they can sound like - but at other times, they sound radically different. This is a typical example of precisely how untypical Nil by Nose can be. If this was played to me and I was asked to guess the people responsible for it, I’d never suspect Nil by Nose were the performers. Have they ever recorded tracks similar to this? Not that I can recall. Of whom do they remind me? Er . . . um . . . hmm . . . possibly The Lemon Kittens or Five Or Six during their later periods but even that is only very approximate. I hear an electronic keyboard or synthesiser, a xylophone (or its electronic equivalent) plus distant vocals sung with a delay pedal (possibly). The soundscape gradually develops and transforms its mien over time yet, even though this is one of the longer tracks on offer here (well over 7 minutes), it seems far shorter. This sounds more effective when heard via speakers. I think this is one of the highlights of this volume, certainly on disc one.
RAWGASM - tHE gHOSTS oF mIXED mETAPHOR
‘Terrific! It was terrific!’ a child’s voice announces before disparate keyboard sounds enter together with a distorted bass guitar to give us what we expect to be a chunky rock influenced number but that all stops, interrupted by a pounding rhythm which itself is crushed by a return to the opening sounds. The distorted bass guitar resumes its grumbling but that, too, is halted by the child’s voice together with a sample of some American chap who has ‘a lot on his mind’. ‘Can you hear this? Incredible noises’ a female voice gasps and indeed, incredible noises are what we have heard so far. The piece closes with a creaking door. This disturbing opus creates an impact either via speakers or headphones.
UNIT - The Boy & The Bridge
This piece is based on my short story The Philidor Trap. A strange boy uses his supernatural power over birds to prevent an old railway bridge from destruction by local council workers . . . so all my usual clichés are hammered firmly into position! My complaint is the feeble singing . . . oh, but I wish I had a decent voice. However, at least I can sing (in a manner of speaking) so I must be grateful for the limited gifts God has granted to me and use them to the best of my ability.
Awkward Geisha - Orange Cunt
Now we really in Lemon Kittens territory (and that’s a compliment from me) despite the mutant punk influence in the musical idiom. Murky percussive noises support a distorted bass guitar, a distorted guitar and even a distorted vocal which repeats ‘Donald Trump; orange cunt’. Right, so . . . not a Republican supporter then. Fair enough . . . but come on, admit it: when our Donnie dances to YMCA by The Village People at the Republican National Convention, don’t you just want to wave Old Glory and sing along? No? Oh, all right then, suit yourself.
Sui Yen See - Japanese Sea Wolf
This individual or group of individuals really do know how to create intriguing textures using controlled noise via synthesisers or some electronic means beyond my comprehension. I prefer it heard through speakers to bring out those bass frequencies. Is this music? No. Is it interesting? Yes. Based on the two tracks I’ve heard so far, I really hope they continue to contribute to godspunk. It is true, however, that soundscapes of this nature can seem like little more than slabs of noise unless one pays careful attention to the component parts that create the whole piece. As with Gokuakuninn, I wish it was slightly longer.
Wilding - Spy
A quiet keyboard plays gentle chords over what sounds like a printer in the background. An amused elderly woman recites a poem but has difficulty preventing herself chuckling with laughter every few seconds. ‘This is ridiculous’ she comments. ‘Most people won’t want to listen’ a man replies. The woman tries to finish the poem but she is unable to do so because she is consumed by laughter. This whole piece is simply wonderful, it really is . . . the dialogue between the young man and the woman (a relative, perhaps) is extremely entertaining. Her Belfast accent adds further lustre to the piece. Oh, I love this!
UNIT - The Mallard
The Mallard is the only steam locomotive to achieve the land speed record and, to date, it has never been beaten. This is a purely instrumental work so you are not obliged to suffer my generally abysmal vocals. It’s also a rarity among UNIT works since it is a depiction of a railway in action rather than derelict or abandoned. Note: Colin was obliged to depart from the group early in 2025 in order to care for his elderly mother who requires almost full time supervision. His absence is temporary, so far as I’m concerned. We’ve told him he is welcome to return whenever he wishes. However, Rachel and Karen will remain with us so, in theory, if Colin does rejoin us, we shall be a quintet again for first time since 2011. Thus disc one features the group prior to Colin’s departure while disc two features the new quartet version with Karen and Rachel.
Howl in the Typewriter - Ex Sanguine Nation
Now this is a real rarity. Indeed I think this must be the first time I’ve heard an overtly political lyric by pStan. Fortunately the vocals are sufficiently prominent in the mix to be heard above the distorted guitar, grumbling bass guitar and drums. As with so many HitT pieces, there are frequent changes in both tempo and metre throughout the work with elements of rock, reggae and even (God help us) punk rock. This is one of the most angry, aggressive HitT pieces I’ve ever heard.
Howl in the Typewriter - Against The Grain (Pathfinder remix)
An electronic beat and keyboard bass plus digital sequencer hurl us into the 1990s. As Doctor McCoy might say: ‘it’s Howl in the Typewriter, Jim, but not as we know it’. After 2 minutes we are given a brief lull in the proceedings but the mutant acid rave dance resumes its mindless pounding with a new keyboard added to provide snippets of melody. Ye gods, this is so Manchester 1995, I can scarcely credit it. The variety in pStan’s oeuvre is astonishing, really. He’s up there with The Large Veiny Members and Nil by Nose in that respect.
Corrupt Animal Juices - Tastes Like Limes
Limes are my favourite fruit; indeed I eat at least one lime every day. We are still in 1976 D.I.Y punk rock territory although the singer sounds so nonchalant, it’s genuinely funny. This is assisted by his accent which I enjoy. ‘Yummy - it tastes like limes.’ Oh yes! Exactly - when you bite into a lime first thing in the morning, you can feel that vitamin C enter your bloodstream.
UNIT - Bentworth Signal Box including Sports Day
I swiped the acapella vocal sections (which are in 15/8 metre, since you ask) from a piece I wrote in 2015 called Sports Day except here the singing is slightly better. Rachel provides excellent saxophone parts for which I am supremely grateful. I used to play saxophone parts for UNIT (along with Colin) but with her ability, I can leave that to Rachel and concentrate on my keyboard and singing. The text is inspired by Perkins and Wentworth, two lads from the year below me in Amery Hill School, who did indeed take pornographic magazines to an old signal box on the abandoned Alton & Basingstoke Light Railway and . . . well, you can guess the rest. No, I did not accompany them! Wentworth told me of this boy who peered in at the window to observe them but when he and Perkins rushed outside, there was not a sign of the brat. I’ve never forgotten that incident and, decades later, I’ve paid homage to them and the mysterious boy. That signal box, sadly, finally collapsed in the 1980s and little of it remains now.
INFECTED YOUTH - THEE TEMPLE 23
An electronic beat, a sharp bass guitar and lonely guitar phrases accompany a recording of Genesis P. Orridge from a radio interview in which he decries the manner in which a court case caused artists to censor their own work rather than risk incurring the wrath of the authorities. This is extremely topical these days when the ‘woke’ brigade seek to silence anyone who expresses anger at their despicable ideology (as we know from personal experience - we have not been silenced but we are banned from YouTube and BandCamp so the forces of oppression are still at work). When Genesis was alive, it was perhaps orthodox political and religious groups who tried to silence him whereas now it is the progressive Marxists but really, they are cut from the same cloth, i.e. people who want everyone else in the world to be just like them. This piece, though short and very simple, is powerful and creates an impact, especially when we realise that radio interview probably dates from a time when certain contributors to godspunk had yet to be born!
Awkward Geisha - GIVE THE ARTWORLD AN ENEMA SO IT CAN FLUSH ITSELF OUT OF ITS OWN ASS
10 out of 10 for that splendid title. I can see why pStan programmed this piece straight after Infected Youth since the subject of art and artists is viewed from a different perspective here. The track opens with a harsh noise but suddenly it cuts into a gentle piano and double bass figure with feedback . . . very disturbing and reminiscent of Five Or Six at their more abrasive / avant garde. The harsh noise returns to bring this odd piece to a close.
The Large Veiny Members - Hyperpop
A bubbling, burbling synthesiser over an electronic beat accompany a mournful vocal in the distance with a wall of reverberation. I’d like the vocal to be more prominent in the mix so I can hear the words clearly.
Howl in the Typewriter - Crack Cocaine & Dildoes
If someone told me this Sui Yen See, I’d believe them . . . as this commences with fierce electronics and growling synthesiser yet drums, bass guitar and guitar soon enter with a grumbling riff interspersed with a recording of a baby. This and the opening harsh noises alternate, one section fading into the other, occasionally with abrupt shifts. The presence of that baby imbues the piece with an oddly malevolent mien I find deeply disturbing. This is pStan at the more avant garde end of the spectrum . . . and thus you’ll never hear me complain about that!
UNIT - Oh Death / The Terminus
This is another rare opportunity for Keilan and Rachel to play guitars and, for once, my singing is not actually wretched. It is also a rare instance of me including profanities in a lyric; normally I dislike swear words in lyrics or poems. The opening blues part is based on a number by Jo Ann Kelly, a British blues singer who deserves far more recognition than she has received. Rachel gives it welly on her alto saxophone once I cease ranting. The Deltic diesel locomotive was recorded by Karen and we use it on numerous tracks for our 55th album, Trains Run On My One Track Mind.
The Communion - Within Each Hour
Here we have a splendid slab of post-punkery with crisp guitars that would not be incongruous on a record released in 1980. This is not a criticism. On the contrary, it provides a welcome contrast to much of the other material on offer here. The impassioned vocalist needs to be louder in the mix so we can all hear the words. This is a powerful track played with panache. The chord sequences are rather old fashioned but so what? Some of our own tracks reek of early 1970s prog rockery so I’m hardly in any position to complain! It’s a pity this is their only contribution. Hopefully they’ll return for volume twenty-nine.
mutant beatniks - drift
A crackling record, harsh electronic sounds, a deep rumbling noise and a sampled female voice . . . a high whistling- like feedback is drowned under further interjections from more electronics yet, despite all this, the work is generally restrained, ruminative and only occasionally loud. This definitely sounds more effective when heard via headphones as the stereophonic mix is clearer. Just when we think the piece is finished, an orchestral chord plays yet that, too, is brutally cut short. Ye gods, what a weird piece! Only on a godspunk volume would you ever encounter such a strange track. Unfortunately this is their only contribution but hopefully they, along The Communion, Infected Youth and Wilding, will return for the next instalment.
Sui Yen See - Beyond Girls
Given that the previous two tracks featured electronics and synthesisers almost exclusively, the sudden appearance of a drum kit, a bass guitar and a wind instrument (probably a melodica) comes as a shock. There is also a taped voice that appears now and then. Those electronic sounds return here and there but they never dominate. A live vocalist growls ‘beyond girls’ - another surprise as neither of the previous pieces features vocals. This bunch fascinate me. I really hope they return for volume twenty-nine.
Jing & The Kapricorns - Orange Shitman
Now this is only partially country and western; there’s an odd rockabilly / bluegrass element to the music which is in stark contrast to almost everything else on godspunk volume twenty-eight. But, perhaps inspired by Awkward Geisha’s ‘Orange Cunt’, here we have another assault on Donald Trump which, since he is easily one of the top 5 presidents ever to govern the USA, is very strange. There have been a few decent Democrat presidents (Harry Truman and Bill Clinton for instance) and a few crap Republicans (George Bush Jr) but honestly, how can anyone do this to Mr Trump, especially after he placed a 10% tariff on the Heard & MacDonald Islands which are inhabited only by penguins? - ‘I’ll make those stubby winged bastards pay their fair share!’
Wilding - Hooks
A very 1970s science fiction soundtrack synthesiser accompanies a rough voiced vocalist with a lyric that emulates the typical complaints made by conservative, narrow minded parents who refuse to comprehend ‘all this modern stuff’ . . . parents like my mum and stepfather who verbally insulted any music they failed to comprehend. Then, at around 2 minutes into the piece, we hear what sounds like someone chucking metal dustbins into an alleyway while the sound of a huge crowd, cheering and clapping, fades into the mix to finish the piece.
Proud Fuckoo Band - Baubles to Xmas
A slow, plodding beat introduces what suddenly lurches into a mid tempo attack on Christmas. Honestly, is nothing sacred these days? That slow plodding beat returns as a bridge between the verses. Ye gods, this lyric is so incessantly cynical! Mind you, what he attacks here is the commercialised, consumer obsessed gluttony I, too, despise, so basically I agree with the sentiments. The true spirit of Christmas is a celebration of the birth of our Lord and saviour, not a bottle of whisky and a desperate rush to purchase the latest gizmo before the shops shut.
Corrupt Animal Juices - Balloon Animals Can Cause Cancer
Musically this is all of a piece with their previous two contributions only here we have a truly bizarre lyric. I don’t know what drugs this chap is on but if he has any going spare . . . at times the piece barely holds together as everyone tries to keep in time with each other but that just adds to the overall effect.
UNIT - The 4th Horseman including Survivors
I first saw the BBC serial Survivors as a child when it was originally broadcast from 1975 to 1977 and it had an immense impact on me. In 2007 I purchased the deluxe box set so I could watch it again. It remains my favourite television series, right up there with Grange Hill. Fabian Fritze (a member of UNIT from 2009 to 2020) rates it as one of his favourite drama serials, too. Musically I am proud of this even though I admit we all struggled to perform and record it. We quote the actual theme from the serial (written by Anthony Isaac) at two places in the piece and every person named in the lyric is taken from characters who appear in the drama. I wrote the lyric and much of the music in the 2000s but none of us were sufficiently competent musicians to play what I’d written so it had to wait until 2025 before any of us were technically able to record it. I rank this among the 20 best pieces the group has ever recorded and I am immensely grateful to Rachel, Keilan and Karen for all the time, energy and effort they spent on it.
RAWGASM - aRTHUR'S cANINE eXERCISE rEGIME
What on Earth is happening here? Metallic sounds in the left channel, an atonal stringed instrument in the right followed by some sort of musique concrete is interrupted by extraneous noises here and there plus a vocalist who grunts, wheezes and yells during gaps in the proceedings. Gradually a synthesiser / short wave radio fades in while the stringed instrument (which sounds like a biwa, a traditional Japanese instrument), now in the centre, accompanies the vocalist who suddenly erupts into manic laughter before the piece ends with an apparently unrelated noise. You want avant gardening? Well, here it is . . . in spades! Splendid stuff.
Awkward Geisha - The Ballad Of Barry Chuckle
This commences in a very similar manner to Hooks by Wilding but then gentle guitars are added (left and right) plus a subtle bass guitar to create a lovely ballad. I’d like the vocal to be slightly louder in the mix. The piece is replete with rubato rather than to chug along in a steady pulse. This adds to the contemplative nature of the song which features some lovely chords on that keyboard. I especially enjoy the bass guitar playing which, although fluid, never sounds ‘out of time’, a difficult feat in a work which employs so much rubato. This is easily my favourite Awkward Geisha work to date.
Needle Park - Silhouette
Here we have another post-punk piece which, to my ears, is related (musically) to The Communion although here the tempo is far slower and the music is simpler, based on a series of four descending chords (verses, if you will) and an ascending chord sequence (choruses perhaps) although the piece is purely instrumental with some lovely guitar playing throughout. There’s a keyboard but it’s used only sparsely, the majority of the music employing the lead guitar, two accompanying guitars, bass guitar and drums. This is a highly impressive opus from a new contributor who I hope returns for future volumes of godspunk.
UNIT - I’ve Seen Satan
This is one of the strongest anthems I’ve written for many years (it closes Faith, Family & Freedom, our 54th album) and, lest you wonder, I wrote this in July 2025 when I was still a Noahide Jew. (I did not receive my baptism and confirmation into the Roman Catholic church until 4th April 2026, praise be to Father Keith Stoakes of St Mary & St Michael Church.) In August I received a personal email from Charlie Kirk to inform me this was one of his favourite tracks from the album. The other was Mrs Moonstomper, my homage to a lovely husband and wife team who comment on various ska, bluebeat, punk and soul groups on their You Tube Channel. It was the second time Mr Kirk sent me a brief email; the first was in 2022. Contrary to popular belief, I do not relish writing ‘political’ numbers but when I see what is happening in the USA and the UK, I am compelled to offer the voice of reason, sanity and decency in response to the vile and odious progressive Marxist filth that seeks to infiltrate its disgusting ideology into our schools and youth clubs. I qualified as a youth worker in 1981 and I continued to work in youth clubs until 2006. I also worked in the psychology department of Homerton Psychiatric Hospital from 1994 to 2016 so when I write and speak about mental illness and sexual perversion, I am better qualified than any number of loser lefties to comment on it. I am pleased to notice this is one of the most viewed tracks on our Rumble and Bit Chute channels. By the way, if people are allowed to be rude about Donald Trump (as they should be, if that’s what they believe) then I’m allowed to be rude about Marxists and Democrats. Finally, before anyone complains: yes, I know my singing is poor but honestly, it really is the best I can manage!
Howl in the Typewriter - I’ve Seen God
Now, pStan, you did warn me you intended to record a response to I’ve Seen Satan so I expected this. What I did not expect was the extremely high quality of the lyric. It scans superbly and, while obviously based on the cadences of my text, it possesses genuinely humorous couplets that caused me to chuckle. It’s all quite absurd, of course - look, pStan, believe me, if Satan really manifested himself, you really wouldn’t like it. Also, if you genuinely want people to turn to Satan then you must also believe in the existence of God and our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ! Seriously, I accept it is possible to be a kind, decent person and an atheist simultaneously (after all, you are proof of that, along with Andrew Nunn, Julie Travis and Malcolm Lewty, the only three friends I have in the world). Musically this is not quite as strong as I’d like it to be although your samples / quotes from our track are clever and very effective. Note: consider this - I live alone, I’m a homosexual (thankfully a totally celibate one) and I am one of the most selfish people I know. You, by contrast, organise drumming workshops for local youth groups, care for your elderly father and are married with two children . . . in other words, you are a better Christian than I am. Ha! Jesus be praised!
   [Well, I'm not actually married, and I live separately from my partner (though we've been together nearly 16 years) whose children have been calling me 'Dad' since about 2011, and are now adults of 20 and 22. I do indeed lead drumming (and other arts) sessions, but only as part of my work as a community artist, and I help my 96-year-old father with stuff his carers can't (or shouldn't) do. To do these things, however, I don't need the fairy tale of religion; I simply treat others as I would wish to be treated. As for Satan, if I don't believe in God I can hardly believe in Satan either . . . after all, it's all in your head! - Ed / pStan].

Now for the obligatory summary. My favourite tracks are these (not in any particular order).
Howl in the Typewriter - Candy Train Tsunami
Nil By Nose - Condensed Splitting The Atom
Wilding - Spy
Sui Yen See - all three tracks

I don’t include UNIT because that’s cheating! If I did include us then I’d select The 4th Horseman. How do I rate this compared to previous godspunk volumes? I place it amongst the top ten, certainly . . . maybe even the top five, if only due the sheer variety of styles, idioms and genres featured.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 5th July 2025
There are two factors associated with godspunk volume twenty-seven that stand out in sharp relief. First: the large number of tracks that adopt a clearly avant garde idiom where melody, harmony and rhythm are largely absent; in their place are electronic sounds, samples and odd voices scattered here and there to create soundscapes I find curiously satisfying. Second: the utter incongruity of my committed political anthems sung with almost embarrassing sincerity when inserted between those same soundscapes by other contributors. I sit here in 89 degree heat and shake my head in irritation, impatient with my inability to realise, when I sent pStan our contribution, how absurd would be the effect of my impassioned sloganeering when placed out of context. Why the devil did I expect anybody else to give a damn about my opinions on the difficulties faced by Israel? A token ‘political’ number is, I believe, acceptable; I suggest Allah Is Our Guide should have been the single such number. Then there is the artwork: almost everyone else’s pages look attractive, appealing and interesting. Ours do not. There - that’s soon said. Well, we live and learn from our mistakes.
Howl in the Typewriter - Dr. Seuss & The Bomb
There is a bass guitar here; after this, all else is second rate by comparison. This is one of those mean, malevolent pop rock songs one associates with pStan: it oozes sarcasm. Passages in 7/4 metre spruce up proceedings as do the sudden shifts in mood and musical arrangement yet above all there is what I refer to as ‘quiet anger’ which to my ears always sounds more powerful than any amount of screaming, shouting, fire and fury (so often favoured by punk bands) which frequently signify nothing. The lyric demands our attention as does the music. I rank this among the very best pieces pStan has created . . . and there are plenty of them.
UNIT - Alone In A Quiet Place
A gentle ballad (musically influenced by Wire and not for the first time) which describes my political and religious journey from the Ayn Rand flavoured fascism of the 1990s to my current pro-capitalist, conservative Christian Zionist values. (Note: neither Colin nor Keilan concur with these all of these beliefs, by the way, being more libertarian than I.) I am especially pleased with this ballad, both for the text and the music. Oh, what a pity it is the only such piece among those we contributed to godspunk volume twenty-seven. All the other contributions cram Israeli politics down people’s throats and, in retrospect, I regret it profoundly. My motives were pure yet my method was tainted by events in England and Israel so often distorted and falsified by the BBC and other radical Marxist media. Thus I do not apologise for the contents, you understand, but I do not believe a godspunk compilation should serve as a platform for my political beliefs therefore I offer sincere apologies to all recipients.
The Poops - Snap Snap Brap
Keilan and Colin inform me this piece is Flipper meets The Butthole Surfers in The Residents recording studio. Since I am not acquainted with any of those bands / people, I must accede to their judgement in their description of this frankly bizarre, spiky minute of gentle insanity.
Mutant Beatniks - Macula
This starts as if it threatens to be a slice of 1990s acid rave but suddenly lurches into an ambient electronic study in malevolence, like the sound of (perhaps) the Dalek city on Skaro. Odd, very brief snippets of squiggly sounds dart across the ether like bright colours of paint but otherwise, the drone and rumble continue with relentless intent. This is my favourite piece so far. Nothing much happens yet it manages never to be boring or dreary. How they achieve this feat remains a mystery but this is a truly remarkable achievement given the apparent simplicity of the content.
Proud Fuckoo Band - Rockin' Horse
It’s punk rock, Jim, but not as we know it. Ye gods this is a bloody chaotic mess. If you like your punk rock drenched in mud with tattered clothes and histrionic vocals then this is for you. Alas, it is definitely not for me! It does reveal the vast panoply of different idiomatic styles pStan is able to employ in his relentless campaign to crush into submission all his competitors. Rock on!
Jethro and the Kaprikorns - Mabeline
Now these good old boys are adept at playing both kinds of music, country and western. Imagine Creedence Clearwater Revival married to Dr John with more than a hint of a Cajun band. This time we can actually hear the vocals, too. In previous contributions the singers have always been recorded far too quietly in the mix for my taste. Yes, most entertaining. Okay, Jeb, now pass me that corn liquor. No, I’ll just swig it straight outa that mason jar. Yee ha!
Howl in the Typewriter - AMU Ward 2
A break beat, a grumbling bass line sprinkled with disparate synthesizer squeaks and a strangely subdued vocal constitute this truly bizarre piece. Public Image Limited meets Throbbing Gristle in The Lemon Kittens recording studio. There are some truly manic synthesizer squeals, bleeps and bloops throughout this. Oh yes - and give that chap his scissors, for crying out loud.
UNIT - Israel Is Real
After all these other pieces, my anthem devoted to Israel sounds utterly incongruous. Musically it’s fairly strong but the text is weak, at least on a technical level. It sounds like a set of slogans and, while the facts are true, it does not satisfy me as a musical work. The middle section in 7/4 metre is the most effective part but otherwise, this is a rather poor tribute to our Biblical home. I really do wish I’d sent pStan a better quality track than this insubstantial frolic.
PAWGASM - sNOWMELT oVER tHE eVENT hORIZON
This is six minutes of controlled chaos with electronic sounds, a synthesizer driven melange of wild and frequent changes in mood, volume and timbre. When the taped voice of a racially prejudiced bigot enters at 5 minutes in, the shock is palpable. I simply did not expect it. ‘Life is too short’ he says as the piece returns to the eerie wind with which it commenced. Macula was impressive but this piece is easily my favourite contribution of any . . . so far. I realise its swirling, often jarring sounds may be too extreme for more timid listeners but it offers a finely crafted collage of electronic sounds that reveals order and shape despite the superficially chaotic events burst from the speakers. It is pieces such as this which justify the existence of godspunk compilations. Utterly brilliant.
Father Stone - Steamy Jim
This has hints of The New York Dolls, The Fall and even Black Sabbath in its raucous two minutes, a sneering slab of sound, a thundering juggernaut of a track. It’s really not my kind of music but it shows why the godspunk concept has proved so popular over the years and reveals why we’ve reached volume twenty-seven (and all the recent collections are double disc sets, too): variety. Each collection is a box of sonic chocolates, not all of them sweet!
Howl in the Typewriter - Skweeborl, Uncle Entozoon and Me
Here we have another excellent bass line with an amusing yet rhythmically tight scat vocal coupled with (oh joy of joys) the sound of black headed gulls now and then plus a nice sleazy guitar figure sprinkled with occasional electronic sounds yet, unusually for pStan, a complete absence of drums or percussion. I am frankly astonished by the continual ubiquity with which he refuses to exhaust his fund of new ideas and unusual concepts.
Nil by Nose - Sometimes I Don’t Know
What do Nil by Nose sound like? It’s an impossible question to answer because if you copy every Nil by Nose track from every godspunk on which they appear and listened to them in succession, you will gain the impression you listen to a suite of pieces by five or six different people / bands. As with Howl in the Typewriter, I am astonished at the ability of this bunch to continually create new and varied pieces that thwart our expectations. This is a (kind of) avant garde soundscape with distant, reverberant vocals, treated church bells and disparate electronic sounds. How can we best describe this adequately? Sometimes I don’t know.
Government Alpha & Awkward Geisha - Evergreen
This commences with an old fashioned American advertisement that extols the virtues of a phonograph record protection device but it soon starts to fall to pieces as the sampled voice is fragmented and fractured. Thus the avant garde flavour that pervades much of this volume (so far) continues. Ever more electronic sounds are added to the sampled voice until it is ultimately subsumed under a welter of mean, aggressively harsh noises that hark back to Nurse With Wound, Lustmord and The Nocturnal Emissions at their most extreme. This is a really impressive piece, especially as it is evident considerable time, energy and effort was expended on its creation. To build such sonic architecture in the absence of melody, harmony and rhythm is very difficult and I realise I am in danger of sounding slightly pretentious here but honestly, to synchronise all the various elements that comprise such a piece as this is a major tour de force.
The Poops - Oscar the Grouch
Repeat what I wrote about Snap Snap Brap earlier . . . only more so! I find this stuff almost unbearable but I expect there will be plenty of other people who disagree with me. Colin especially enjoyed it, for example. Oh well . . . there’s nowt as queer as folk.
UNIT - Allah Is Our Guide
Musically and lyrically this is one of our stronger pieces and I am proud of it on a purely technical level but (sigh) I still don’t think godspunk is an appropriate place for such an intensely political piece. What on Earth was I thinking when I compiled our tracks for this volume? Lest people believe otherwise, I am not a mere bigot but I do not have any respect for people who think their political or religious beliefs entitle them to maim and kill innocent people.
EarEyes - 24 Balls 1
This is so utterly bonkers it defies adequate description. It is quite literally the sound of a person dropping table tennis balls and golf balls down a flight of steps. There - I’ve described it, have I not? Well, no, not really. You see, taken in the context of a compilation album that contains (mainly) musical items, where does this sit? I’m amused - perhaps even grateful - pStan elected to place this straight after Allah Is Our Guide because it hurls my political ranting into the same event horizon where snow melts.
Howl in the Typewriter - The Sound out of Space
Imagine: swirlies . . . jack hammers . . . road drills . . . broken synthesizers . . . fragmented extracts from a cosmology lecture. One chap speaks of ‘sounds in space’ but this is incorrect. There can never be any sounds in space since sound waves are not conducted in a vacuum; they require a medium such as water or air. Mind you, that does not detract from the glorious cacophony of this piece!
The Large Veiny Members - You Want Excitement?
Ah, Biggus Dickus and his band of ferocious fearsome phalluses returns to treat us to a break beat driven slab of atonal flute, synthesizer with a trombone sound and a drummer who ‘gives it wellie’ and then some. This is a crunchy instrumental whose strident impact is only slightly marred by its repetition. I could do with a change here and there but, despite that, its power remains unsullied. Like Nil by Nose, these are regular contributors to godspunk and evidently have yet to exhaust their fund of new ideas.
Infected Youth - Crowley
Aleister Crowley died in 1957 yet even now, in 2025, poets, writers, artists and musicians create works inspired by him. To me, he’s a charlatan, a sad joke but then I’m biased, probably. He’s one of those individuals like Charles Manson and Roman Polanski who attract creative people. Here an American chap narrates a monologue over electronic keyboards that play a minimalist cluster of phrases which I believe would be more effective if the voice was mixed more prominently in the piece.
The Poops - Dewey Dropped His Pencil
American voices dominate this edition of godspunk and here we have another minute- long slice of surrealism. All three contributions by The Poops so far sound very similar to each other. Indeed I find it virtually impossible to distinguish one from another. This is not necessarily a criticism, merely an observation. Anyway, this bunch are easily the most eccentric contributors to the set and constitute what I suspect a person might refer to as ‘an acquired taste’!
UNIT - The 6 Day Miracle
Look, our tracks sound almost comically incongruous when placed amid all these avant garde pieces by everyone else. There I am, passionately singing my heart out on the political situation in the Middle East while everyone else is having fun with electronic sounds, synthesizers, sampled voices and a plethora of creativity devoid of any political content. Ye gods, I swear never again will I impose my politics on a godspunk. The piece itself is fine and perfectly adequate for its purpose - a decent history lesson with a nice pop punk musical accompaniment - but it ought to remain on one of our albums rather than be included here. Maybe that’s why I find so many of these avant garde soundscapes by other contributors here so enjoyable: an absence of political rhetoric.
Father Stone - The Entertainer
Father Stone is a character in Father Ted marked by being the most boring visitor Ted, Dougal and Jack ever receive. This band, by contrast, are certainly not boring. Well, Colin and Keilan enjoy them. I am not a fan of this kind of music so I’m not qualified to comment on its merits but in style it is strongly reminiscent of 1977 punk rock played with verve and passion.
Howl in the Typewriter - Technoblivion
Imagine a 1980s theme tune for a ‘television for schools’ programme on BBC2 . . . then a break beat drum figure enters and the mood shifts into the next decade. There are two vocalists here but they usually sing in octaves and I really dislike vocals sung in octaves. I much prefer thirds, fifths and other intervals. That said, pStan gives us an unusually restrained vocal line here rather than the sneering aggression we normally associate with his singing style. For me, this is too repetitive and too long yet it is never actually boring. Indeed, it’s a strange piece, virtually a ballad despite the break beat and synthesizer stabs.
Howl in the Typewriter - Illuminati Dog
Another break- beat- based piece commences the second disc with organ, synthesizer and bass guitar driving the work while pStan gives us one of his ‘growl’ vocals. There is a definite late 1990s mien to this piece. I wish the vocals were louder in the mix as I find it difficult to discern the lyric. As is so common in a Howl in the Typewriter piece, the metre and mood changes (here a 6/8 rhythm gives way to a brief calm bridge before we return to the original music style). There is a nice harmonic progression toward the end, too.
Father Stone - White Bear
After a dog comes a bear. If Black Sabbath were a punk band, they would (possibly) sound like this: a driving, thunderous racket that pounds us into submission. Ye gods, I really don’t like this but both Colin and Keilan rate is as their favourite track so far which shows how divergent can be our musical preferences. Mind you, I agree this is their most powerful track so far but I notice we have an elephant charge to come later so I’ll reserve judgement until I’ve heard that.
The Poops - Crossword Race
Oh, here we go again - more raucous eccentricity from this bunch. Honestly, this sounds just like the other tracks they’ve given us on here. Maybe it’s because my own musical tastes are too serious to appreciate what is on offer here. I don’t want to be unfair or uncharitable. Certainly nobody could ever accuse this outfit of being pompous or pretentious - two criticisms occasionally levelled at me, perhaps with justification.
Proud Fuckoo Band - Roadkill
Look, I don’t like punk rock, all right? I just don’t like it. I find it boring and tedious. This means I am not qualified to give a fair or reasonable response to this crawling chaos. The drummer seems to be playing biscuit tins, too, which isn’t liable to appeal to my more charitable nature, assuming it exists (which it probably doesn’t). Musically this makes me think of The Swell Maps.
UNIT - A Tribute To The Israeli Defence Force
I notice how conservative and ‘normal’ our music sounds in contrast to most of the other contributors here. This is not a criticism, merely an observation. However, imagine if this was sung by a man or woman with a really good voice instead of my feeble strangulated caterwaul. This is the track that generated a gigantic wave of hatred and hostility from the people at Resonance FM whose Jew hating bigots fell over each other to harangue me with their vile and loathsome comments. It is why our association with that radio station ceased utterly in February 2024 and good bloody riddance to them. Cunts.
Infected Youth - 5_12_24
A break beat orientated track with 1960s style guitar in a driving groove is so radically different to their previous offering (Crowley) one can scarcely believe it is the same group. If you want a late 1960s style instrumental groove that sounds 21st century in mood and production then this is it. My only criticism is that it fades out. I want to hear how it ends! I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. However, it sounds so profoundly different to Crowley, I actually checked the track list to see if I’d made a mistake but no, both these tracks really are by Infected Youth. Suddenly my respect for this bunch has increased exponentially. That they are able to contribute a pair of tracks so monumentally different to each other is a major achievement and they deserve credit for it.
Howl in the Typewriter - Chokehold
A thumping bass driven groove supports pStan yelling from the room next door in a track that sounds like 1980-era Eyeless In Gaza (high praise indeed) apart from the central section that veers perilously close to heavy metal (oo-er, missus). God alone knows what he’s yelling about, of course, because I can’t discern most of the lyric. Rhythmically the outer sections are complex; try to tap your foot to it, go on, I dare you.
The Large Veiny Members - Choirboys With Machine Guns!
With such a title as this, how can I resist it? Their drummer is on fire this time around. Gentle, almost ethereal keyboard sounds drift over this insistent rhythm to create a piece in which such apparently incongruent elements ought to conflict with each other but on the contrary it fuses into a rather satisfying whole. I’d like to hear a vocalist sing about AK47-toting terror tots which I think would lend lustre to this piece but perhaps I’m being even more ineffably otiose than usual.
PAWGASM - mISPLACED iN tRIPTYCH
Yes - it’s Godzilla! Oh, splendid . . . but now it’s Godzilla with fragmented heavy metal, torn apart and wrenched into pieces with gaps and pauses. Suddenly this magnificent prelude is replaced by extreme avant gardening in Nurse With Wound territory until the sudden (and unexpected) return of the pseudo heavy metallurgy of the opening, now combined with the shambling chaos of disparate electronic sounds and sampled voices. Ye gods, this is absolutely superb! Does it constitute music? No, probably not. Does it constitute a fascinating experience? Yes, absolutely.
EarEyes - Roundhill Crescent
The return of the table tennis balls and golf balls . . . son of balls clattering down steps . . . balls clattering down steps; the prequel . . . balls clattering down steps: this time it’s personal. I love this stuff, really I do. It’s so extreme! Who needs musical instruments when you have table tennis balls, golf balls and set of steps?
Howl in the Typewriter - Monsters
Ugh, this is bloody horrible. It starts and stops, starts and stops, with a dreary old chord progression and a high whining vocal that irritates the life out of me. It isn’t often I hear a Howl in the Typewriter track I really don’t like or, even more rarely, which I find tedious but, alas and alack, this is one of them.
The Poops - Vomit In Charge
All right then, take every commentary I typed for each of their previous tracks . . . then cut and paste them here.
Jethro and the Kaprikorns - Deliah
Ah, this is more like it - the return of the good old boys from Arkansas with their corn liquor in mason jars and old red tobacco in clay pipes with Jeb there on the banjo. How many country and western singers does it take to change a light bulb? Two - a singer to change the bulb and another to croon about how good the old one was.
Father Stone - Charge Of The Elephant
Well, in terms of musical preference, this is not quite so impressive (to me) as White Bear but it does feature an astonishing duel guitar break in which both players pay scant attention to what key the song is in . . . they play with passion and commitment despite (or with complete indifference to) most of their notes being alien to the chords played under them. 
Howl in the Typewriter - Quack Slag
A gentle acoustic guitar is soon joined by an equally genial electric guitar when abruptly the idiom changes and we’re plunged into a rhythmically disjointed slab of sonic chaos in a spastic ballet which is interrupted by the return of the gentle opening before the lolloping groove resumes for a second salvo. This is a rare example of a purely instrumental track by Howl in the Typewriter although their most recent album, Cutting Wood When The Wind Blows, is also a purely instrumental project complete with stereophonic saws.
UNIT - Am Yisrael Chai
Oh . . . this mammoth work is supposed to commence with Ben Shapiro saying ‘I am a Jew’ but now we don’t actually hear him say it. Instead ‘I am a’ is cut off and the track starts with ‘Jew’. This is the first time I’ve ever heard an editing error by pStan. Maybe the track I sent to him had the first 3 words cut off but they were there when I played it to check the disc had recorded properly. Oh well, it’s a minor matter.
       [The track DOES start with the words "I am a Jew"; Andy Martin's CD-playing device is malfunctioning - Ed]
Now, I am legitimately proud of this for its text and for my musical composition. I am also supremely grateful to Ben Shapiro for agreeing to allow me to include his speech throughout the work and his rendition of an old Hebrew hymn. As an extended work it ranks among the ten best pieces I’ve ever written and which we’ve ever recorded . . . but . . . should it be included on an edition of godspunk? Probably not. I had an intense discussion with Colin and Keilan about whether or not to include this work, given its duration and political topic. They persuaded me at the time and I respect their reason: amid all the left wing lies and anti-Jew propaganda with which we are bombarded, here we have the opportunity to present a different perspective. I agreed with them at the time yet now, I don’t know, I’m not convinced. Perhaps its presence is unfortunately necessary. As I listen to this I remember just how difficult this work was to record, how we had to plot and plan the piece to accommodate the speeches given to us by Rabbi Bryski, the New York university girl who wishes to remain anonymous and the mighty Mr Shapiro. Yes, in retrospect, in deference to their contributions, perhaps I can forgive my self indulgence for including this on a godspunk.
Awkward Geisha & Torturing Nurse - Chaos Reigns
Oh yes! I award top marks to pStan for following our monumental piece with this white hot tumultuous electronic racket which takes all the most extreme aspects of Lustmord, Throbbing Gristle, Nurse With Wound and Whitehouse and then turns up the noise meter to eleven. Full bass, full treble, full volume and watch those buildings tumble! This must surely be the most extreme work ever provided by any contributor to godspunk . . . and it is nearly six minutes in duration. However, this is not merely noise; there are many disparate strands of sounds amid the chaos. True, each of them is louder than every other one . . . everything louder than everything else, so to speak . . . but the overall effect is devastating.
Howl in the Typewriter - Razor Ten
Right then . . . just when you thought all the harsh avant gardening must surely have ended, there’s more! There’s thumping, beating, squealing and scratching here interspersed with quiet moments (but only very brief quiet moments) before it launches into a 1990s acid rave section . . . but nobody is on ecstasy in this squatted warehouse . . . no, they’re all having the worst LSD trip ever. In the name of all that’s holy (and not so holy) godspunk volume twenty-seven  is easily the least accessible edition since . . . well, I can’t recall a less affable, less genial collection than this one . . . and it’s glorious!
Between the three of us, we’ve selected our favourite tracks and there are nine of them:
Howl in the Typewriter - Dr. Seuss & The Bomb
UNIT - Alone In A Quiet Place
Mutant Beatniks - Macula
PAWGASM - sNOWMELT oVER tHE eVENT hORIZON
Government Alpha & Awkward Geisha - Evergreen
Father Stone - White Bear
Infected Youth - 5_12_24
UNIT - Am Yisrael Chai
Awkward Geisha & Torturing Nurse - Chaos Reigns
However, honorary mentions must be awarded to The Large Veiny Members who, with Nil by Nose, are regular contributors and also to EarEyes for their . . . er . . . whatever one may call it. Also, this is the very first time there has ever been a volume of godspunk for which I can honestly say there are far more pieces I like and enjoy than those I do not. Maybe the preponderance of avant garde / experimental tracks is responsible for this reaction. So, in conclusion: this is, for me, one of the most successful editions of godspunk ever, despite the bleak and grim UNIT tracks I selected for inclusion on it. Now, I want everyone to stand up and join me in a community chant: BRING BACK DATA’S CAT!

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 19th Sept 2024
Here it is . . . again . . . and it’s called . . . 1 2 godspunk review!
Why do our tracks always sound significantly quieter than those by everyone else? I do find it mildly annoying but presumably it reveals a limitation of my technical ability when confronted by modern technology. There are more avant garde soundscapes on this edition than on most previous volumes – which pleases me, of course. The absence of pop / rock songs, ballads and anthems might deter more timid or conservative listeners but then such people are not liable to be acquainted with godspunk albums or the work of their contributors anyway.
Note: older readers might remember I used to award marks out of ten for each track, a practise I abandoned because it was misconstrued. If I awarded a track, say, 1 out of 10, that merely gave an impression of how much I enjoyed (or did not enjoy) listening to the piece. It was never intended to represent a solemn evaluation of the technical merit of a track. As a second rate singer and a third rate keyboard player, I am scarcely qualified to criticise the technical ability of anyone else! Right then, let’s do this.
Howl in the Typewriter – Brother Metamorphosister
Shock horror: acoustic guitars on a HITT track! pStan says he’s ‘ever averse to a doctor or a nurse’. This is a commentary on the bizarre fashion for ‘gender fluidity’ in America whose text is a satirical swipe at the white middle class loony leftie progressives rather than genuine transsexual people. ‘Do I need surgery or do I need psychiatry?’ Although the question is asked in a forthright manner, never is it the intention to insult the recipient (or so it seems to me). This is one of those subverted pop songs with distorted guitars and extraneous keyboard noises over a crunchy bass guitar and drums that signify what I think of as ‘The HITT Sound’. Complaint: the vocals need to be louder in the mix. I want to hear those words.
Awkward Geisha & DJ Sid James – Cowz In Tha Hood
I think of NWA meets Puff Daddy after they’ve both fallen through the noise gate from hell, everything stripped away until only the basic beat remains. Where HITT lampooned woke progressive lefties, this is splendid parody assault on the loathsome excesses of third rate gangsta rap except here the rapper is a BBC Radio 3 announcer and the instrumental breaks are sung by a real cow. The break beat is stolid and tedious – intentionally. The ‘lyric’ is absurd yet, sadly, not too far removed from actual gangsta rap lyrics it has been my misfortune to encounter. This is one of the most impressive tracks I’ve ever heard on a godspunk – clever, witty and genuinely funny in equal measure.
Lud Waste – House Plants
Now we have Cabaret Voltaire meets The Human League after they’ve both fallen through that same noise gate wielded by a studio engineer eager to sabotage any sound that comes within 3 yards of his sickening switches. This is a little over 1 minute in duration and frankly I feel it is slightly too brief. I’d like another minute of this strange observation of the nature of different house plants so I simply played the track again. Thus after the searing red hot heat of pop music mutated by HITT, we have 2 alternative variants of rap / hip hop . . . maybe.
UNIT – Rock Against Communism
After 2 tracks deliberately devoid of melody and harmony (essential prerequisites of their adopted genre, of course), there is a welcome resumption of melody and intriguing harmonies in music that frankly merits a more interesting text. I wrote this in 2017 in a white hot rage although my fury is directed at white middle class progressive Marxist London councillors rather than actual immigrants or sexual perverts. My absolute and unequivocal hostility toward any form of Marxism has remained with me since the early 1980s and recent developments in America and England have only consolidated my intense opposition to this most pernicious of all political doctrines. I dedicate this respectfully to Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh, 2 rare voices of reason in a previously great nation now governed by crazy people.
DOORGASM – Dressage Is Dead
I refuse to reverse the capital and lower case letters as you do, pStan. My fingers simply will not commit such a lexicographic monstrosity. Radio interference and extraneous noises pepper this soundscape with disparate sounds and voices spliced in apparently at random in a track that reminds me strongly of Nurse With Wound at their very best. This is immensely impressive. A section of guitar and bass guitar rifferama leads us back to more loud and violent sounds which take us into Throbbing Gristle territory until more guitar and bass keyboard riffs suggest a song form over which dogs grunt and bark. This is an excellent example of an avant garde idiom whose bestial aggression takes no prisoners. Its brutal malevolence leaves a lasting impression beyond a doubt. Note: please listen to this track via headphones – the effect is startling.
Food Fortunata – I Look Old Because I Am Old
Take The Swell Maps and any humorous Oi band of the 1980s. Now give the music a savage twist sideways. There, you see? Midway through the beat vanishes and we find ourselves in Punk Floyd territory (groan) with the delay pedal from hell. The original music returns to plod us wearily to its conclusion. This is witty yet very sad simultaneously . . . a most disconcerting effect. Although the singer intones the title, the music sounds like a teenage punk band circa 1982 . . . another disconcerting effect.
Howl in the Typewriter – Have You Got It Yet?
An electronic beat with added percussion suggests New Order on one of the days when Messrs Hook and Sumner have taken even more drugs than usual. Disco for demented droogs perhaps. ‘Hear the drummer get wicked’ announces the voice of a young girl when the beat stops briefly. If you like percussion and interesting cross rhythms, you are bound to enjoy this splendid bashing crashing romp. The beats are as tight as a gnat’s arse only much more enjoyable. I am not a fan of percussion instruments yet even I am able to enjoy this delightful frolic.
Awkward Geisha with Tom Antona – Here at the End
More electronic beats but whereas HITT were friendly and jovial, this is malevolent and confrontational: Nurse With Wound do hip hop. The text is superb, albeit grim and bleak. It seems to refer to the probability of imminent death as the poet reclines on an operation table at the mercy of doctors yet this is only my interpretation. Even when the poet is recumbent underneath the spreading branches of a tree, it offers only a sneering contempt for his plight. The robot beat plus savage sonic swipes now and then punctuate the soundscape to emphasise the brutal reality of the text. Ye gods, this is powerful stuff.
Nil by Nose – Soapy Suds
Sampled sounds are hammered into a rhythm for this exercise in washing dishes to a dance beat. Nil by Nose seem unable to exhaust their fund of bizarre and often highly eccentric ideas and this really strange piece stands up there with the best of them. Windscreen wipers (perhaps), a washing machine (perhaps), a dishwasher (perhaps) . . . it’s impossible to discern the sources for these disparate sounds although someone definitely hits a cup with a metal utensil at regular intervals. For me the track over-stays its welcome but other people will definitely disagree. I think of this as the ‘b’ side to Have You Got It Yet? . . . not sure why.
shaun robert – decimated heart
Imagine if Radiohead and Coldplay could write and record interesting, inventive music (yes, it’s a difficult proposition, I admit). Now add synthesiser phrases of indefinite pitch that threaten to swamp the extremely minimal beat and tired, lugubrious vocal. This is another track whose sound makes more of an impact when heard via headphones. Complaint: I want those vocals louder in the mix. Musically (if the term ‘musical’ can even be applied here) this is a companion to Dressage Is Dead although it sounds quite different . . . if that makes sense.
UNIT – The Salvage Team
After 3 weeks reading science fiction short stories (not normally a genre for which I have either interest or patience) from the 1970s, this lyric came to me in a sudden flood of inspiration. It dictated the form, structure and harmonic shifts in the music. I am legitimately proud of this but (sigh) I so dearly wish this was sung by someone who can actually sing properly and has a decent voice. The story, incidentally, is entirely my own invention although it addresses a topic (life prolongation via cybernetics) covered by other writers. Because this work relies heavily on strong melodic lines and fairly complex harmonic progressions it stands out from the avant gardening of many of the other tracks on here, to the benefit of those contributors and ourselves equally. I can hear why pStan spends so many hours deciding on an idea running order for these discs.
Molly McClelland – Choking a Gimp
This commences as a folk song for voice and guitar but abruptly lurches into a garage / drum ‘n’ bass frolic which appears to be a study of schizophrenia at its most pernicious. Theory: I think this is pStan singing falsetto. Either that or it is someone doing a damned fine impression of him. The lyric is brutally cruel. 
Awkward Geisha & DJ Makochin – Bass Terror
A West Indian boy announces this extremely mutated assault on reggae. This is reggae played by Nine Inch Nails with assistance from Throbbing Gristle. The bass guitar we normally associate with the idiom is replaced by a grumbling synthesiser over an electronic beat. That vocal sample ‘I am the magnificent . . .’ comes from a late 60s or early 70s reggae single whose name evades my memory at present. Double Barrel! That’s it. I find this number rather too long at nearly 5 minutes but it is never mindlessly repetitive and there is always plenty happening. This is another of those tracks that sounds more impressive through headphones.
Howl in the Typewriter – Ket, Fet & yr. Pet
More mutated garage / drum ‘n’ bass with the sound of (presumably) a weight lifter that appeared on an earlier track by someone else (help me out, please, pStan). ‘You should never give amphetamine sulphate to your family pets’ warns a voice at the end . . . quite right, too. Barely more than a minute in duration, this is another of those messy, chaotic beat driven pieces HITT love to churn out between all those angry pop songs.
Lud Waste – Memories of Hughenden Valley
Yes, this is only 52 seconds in duration but it manages to be possibly the most powerful track heard yet despite (or perhaps due to) its extreme minimalism. There’s a rattling percussion device heard now and then plus a distant swooping synthesiser over which a roughly recorded voice offers brief snatches of momentary impressions, all of which are harsh, bleak and, ultimately, tragic. ‘On cannabis and stout, Dennis blew his brains out.’ This might be my favourite piece (so far) excluding our own works, obviously.
Nostril Flair (Featuring The Big Busker) – Kosmik Entrails
This disc is definitely dominated by synthesisers, sampled sounds and mutated vocals. This is another example of the genre, all 6 minutes of it. This is music heard through a sonic fog . . . or perhaps a depiction of a sonic fog . . . voices creep in and slink away amidst all this Cynthia Size A kerfuffle. Gong at their most playful meets Tangerine Dream at their most malevolent in the 21st century . . . maybe. Ye gods, this is heavy going (for me) especially as I find the vocals really irritating but then that’s probably because I’m such a grumpy git.
Howl in the Typewriter – Why Is My Toe?
On most godspunk collections there is one HITT track that is a sound collage with a disparate collection of sampled voices combined with an equally eclectic mixture of music extracts wedded to his own electronic sounds. This is easily the most ‘out there’ and ‘off the wall’ piece so far. I’m not certain how effective this piece will be on repeated listens but so far I find it engaging and certainly never remotely tedious, primarily because there are so many different voices and sounds yet the piece never sounds messy or indistinct. This is a significant achievement given the sheer number of varied sounds and voices employed in the piece.
Awkward Geisha & Jeffrey Dwayne – I Lead The Way
This is pure modern rap mixed with grime. The electronic beat and electronic keyboard provide a robotic, inhuman sound so the very human voice with its impassioned lyric provides a welcome contrast. There is a whole dictionary worth of words here, often rattled out with machine gun rapidity so one has to pay close attention to catch all the text. Yes, it reports the sad dissolution of a failed relationship but it does this with style and panache. I wish more rap and grime was like this. The rapper utters his text with sufficient clarity for all the words to be heard even when delivered at amphetamine velocity earlier in the track. This is a (sort of) companion to Cowz In Tha Hood . . . but I prefer this to that!
Proud Fuckoo Band – No Surprise
Now for a slab of mutated punk rock from this bunch with pStan howling as usual. Now, anyone even vaguely familiar with me knows how I loathe, despise and detest punk rock and all who sail in it so it is a really daunting task to try to be fair. Biscuit tin drums, deep bass guitar and bee in a tin guitar certainly give the track its mid 1980s sound except it has a 21st century production. Bloody hell, this is horrible. However, if you enjoy mutated punk rock then this track will definitely appeal to you.
UNIT – Long Live Rock (including A Study Of Heavy Metals)
I wrote this text as a poem a few years ago, aware I would probably never set it to music. Then it occurred to me the text cries out for a pastiche of heavy rock so gradually the piece coalesced into its present form. All the geological terms and descriptions employed in the text are correct and accurate. I spent much of the 2000s studying geology. Certain sections of this need to be sung by David Coverdale or that chap from AC/DC but whenever I try to emulate that vocal style, I merely sound like a mildly hysterical BBC announcer from the 1950s. To my ears this track sounds slightly murky and indistinct, mainly due to my abysmal vocals. It ought to leap out at you. Pretend it’s produced by Martin Birch or Eddie Offord.
Howl in the Typewriter – Nothing is a Thing
Sibilant synthesisers rain down upon a piano, twangy guitar, deep bass guitar and plodding drums in a suggestion of reggae. A mixture of sampled and live voices hammer home the message with inflexible authority. Only at the end is the conundrum resolved: ‘nothing is a thing until it happens for the first time.’ So there.
Howl in the Typewriter – Trinkets
We kick off disc two with mutated heavy rock in 9/8 metre (mainly) but, like many HITT tracks in pop / rock idiom, the metre and beat changes midway through – much slower tempo which gradually increases speed until the piece returns to its opening music. As usual I find the vocals mixed too quiet in the melée; they are drowned underneath the distorted bass guitar and heavy metal guitar rifferama. Also, the guitars sound too quiet while the bass guitar is slightly too prominent – a criticism I rarely ever make, given my love of bass guitars and my contempt for guitars. This is quite a complex piece and definitely sounds more effective through headphones.
dr awkward – pocketful of stones
After Long Live Rock, from trinkets to stones the geological theme continues with this guitar dominated piece. Indeed, it is only guitars, played for much of the time in a single key. This is not one of my favourites but that is because I am not a fan of guitars – strictly saxophones, organs and basses for me. However, this does provide one of the few purely instrumental works in this collection.
Awkward Geisha & Alan Ward – Next to the Best
Is Awkward Geisha related to dr awkward? The Grim Geisha is definitely on a mission to insert a shed load of rap and grime into this volume and it means the collection has an additional level of variety not witnessed since LDB and the taurus board used to submit contributions to godspunk shortly after the Earth’s crust cooled. A very minimal beat – bass drum, hand claps and high tom – plus a single synthesiser playing a repeated phrase provide the musical accompaniment to this rapper. I’d like to hear a Geisha track that features both Jeffrey Dwayne and Alan Ward on it, each spitting bars alternately. Now that could really be an experience!
Lud Waste – Sparked In Rubbish
A minimal electronic rhythm and repeated keyboard phrase rained upon by a swirling synthesiser provide an accompaniment for a vocal recorded on a phone which, to my ears, needs to be more prominent in the mix because I find the text intriguing. It appears to be a severely sarcastic assault on college lecturers but I find it really difficult to discern many of the words.
UNIT – At The Academy (including The Open University)
Well, given the content of the text on Sparked In Rubbish, it is entirely appropriate to follow it with our venture into academia. This commenced life as a progressive rock track at our live concerts in the 1990s but it was never recorded in a studio because I was not satisfied with its shape and form. Finally I managed to complete it . . . only to find none of us could play the wretched thing! It was too difficult . . . so we practised over and over again until, finally, we managed to record it . . . but only just. I insisted upon not 1 but 2 bass guitar solos.
DOORGASM – Haranguing The Driver
A fierce wind or perhaps a diesel train . . . a gently plodding bass guitar . . . a nonchalantly plucked slide guitar . . . a person hammers nails in the distance. Meanwhile a dispute emerges between a young man and young woman over the proper manner in which to drive a vehicle. The voices sound as if they are recorded on a phone, a feature shared by at least 4 other contributions on this volume. I am not able to drive a car or any other kind of motor vehicle. Indeed, due to my severe dyspraxia I’ve never even been able to ride a bicycle so I am reluctant to take sides with either of the combatants involved.
Howl in the Typewriter – It’s Too Hot For Jesus
How many rock and pop songs have the name ‘Jesus’ in them? I think of ‘When Jesus Came To Play’, a memorable track off Catfish Rising (1991) by Jethro Tull but then I would, wouldn’t I? Bass drum, bongos, bass guitar and distant swirling guitars provide an unusually introverted groove for a HITT track. This is a rarity – a purely instrumental track. Indeed it is only the second time I’ve ever heard a purely instrumental track by HITT, i.e. one not only minus any live vocals but also minus any sampled voices.
Awkward Geisha & DJ Sid James – Hip Hop Is The Only True Avant Garde
I say, old chap, steady on! You’re confronted by a fan of Krzysztof Penderecki, Luciano Berio, Iannis Xenakis, Olivier Messiaen and Bernd Alois Zimmermann here so don’t try to convince me hip hop has any relation to the avant garde . . . because it most certainly does not. However, unlike most forms of popular music, it is one of the very few idioms that never sounds old fashioned or ‘dated’. I mean, if you hear a piece by, say, Manfred Mann, you know it was recorded in the 1960s. If you hear, say, Gentle Giant, you know you’re in the 1970s. New Order remain firmly entrenched in the 1980s, the decade with great politics and crap music . . . but hip hop / rap soldiers boldly onwards and upwards. If you hear, say, F The Police by NWA or Lethal Weapon by Ice T, although they’re also from the 1980s, to my ears neither of them sound old fashioned. Does this make sense to you? Yes, the Geisha is definitely on a mission to infuse hip hop and rap into this volume and he succeeds but really, was it necessary to have that young girl utter such foul profanities? It’s profoundly disturbing although, if I’m honest, also rather amusing even though I am reluctant to admit it. At 2.5 minutes in, the tempo changes – highly unusual for a rap track – before it returns to a more restrained groove. Live and sampled voices vie for supremacy in this rap battle but Mr Geisha reigns supreme with his expletive ridden statement delivered in a lovely BBC Radio 3 accent, every standard rap cliché diligently hammered into position. Splendid!
Food Fortunata – Something Like a Grape
This sounds like the Proud Fuckoo Band after they’ve swallowed half a bottle of tranquilisers. Is this a complaint? God knows. I admit this is most definitely not my kind of music (far from it) but those distorted guitars, growling bass guitar and clattering drums support what sounds like a singer who has swallied far too much Jack Daniels so it will beyond doubt appeal to plenty of other punky types out there. I’m a progressive rock fan so I am definitely not qualified to pass any kind of judgement on this slightly bizarre punk rockery.
The Large Veiny Members – Punch Drunk
Oh, right, I see . . . so it isn’t only Food Fortunata who’ve been at the Jack Daniels then. All right, just a second while I roll a cigarette and crack open a bottle of Jaegermeister, my preferred tipple. Ah, that’s better! (Anyone who doesn’t drink and smoke is a faggot . . . except pStan . . . but then he’s addicted to fruit which is probably worse.) Virtually nothing of any significance ever happens in this track and it’s over 6 minutes long . . . so why do I not find it even slightly boring? A drummer plays a fast break beat with plenty of variety . . . if you like drums . . . which I usually don’t. There is a bass guitar but he / she plays high up on the fret board and only bothers to play 2 notes (although there’s a third note thrown in every now and then if you listen attentively, which I did). It’s Peter Hook after he’s had 5 joints and half a bottle of Jack Daniels. There is a disembodied vocalist whose voice is distorted through a delay pedal (or its digital equivalent) and . . . er . . . bugger all else. I’ve probably made this piece sound abysmal but honestly, it really is not. I was never bored by it although for the life of me I cannot explain why.
Proud Fuckoo Band – Hard Times
The vocal needs to be louder on this song as the lyric sounds (from what I can hear of it) serious and important. This is not quite so punky as their usual fare but I still find it intolerable. Those biscuit tin drums and bee in a tin guitar are so annoying! I do like the bass guitar, however, but really, the vocal needs to be more prominent in the mix with less reverberation on it. Let me hear those words!
Lud Waste – New Town Cut Up 3
A (probably) sampled drum beat plus extraneous noise and a repeated keyboard phrase accompany a spoken recitation that sounds tired, cynical and frustrated. I picture Milton Keynes on a rain swept Tuesday afternoon. You have just been rejected after your umpteenth job application and the electricity bill has yet to be paid. It is that sort of atmosphere this grim track evokes.
Nil by Nose – Laundronette
Machines whirr away to create a miasma of indistinct sound which, through speakers, sounds murky and messy but through headphones makes (slightly) more sense. The title is a highly appropriate pun here. If you have ever heard Nil by Nose contributions on previous volumes of godspunk then you will know not all their works sound like this. If you compiled every one of their tracks from each of the godspunks and issued them as an album, the true extent of their stylistic and idiomatic variety would quickly become apparent.
Molly McClelland – Pawn / Star
Ah, now I recognise the vocal sample that starts this piece: ‘I’ll tell you what I am. I’m an old man trying to find a child.’ It is spoken by John Mills in Quatermass as he hold up a photograph of his granddaughter in a television studio, eager to find her . . . but here, taken totally out of context, the phrase sounds ominous and disgusting. A break beat drum pattern combined with a synthesiser accompanies that falsetto voice in a track that seethes with barely restrained fury.
UNIT – Earth Is Finite (including Dies Irae and The Calculation)
Like ‘Long Live Rock’ this commenced life as a prose poem I never thought I’d be able to set to music but, as the years rolled by, I realised it just could be possible. Note: my figures are based on data from the 1980s but it took me days to complete the calculations and I simply could not be bothered to do them all over again with 21st century figures. They are still accurate and correct, of course. I am too critical of America, a feature of the text I now regret but I decided to retain it since it does contain a degree of truth despite being slightly unfair and, possibly, inaccurate. The music ranks among our most complex to date (it is up there with At The Academy and Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes) yet, oddly, we did not find it too difficult to perform compared to those other works. Incidentally my prediction about the number of people in America ‘by 2020’ has proved remarkably accurate. (The text was completed circa 2000 although the music is of very recent vintage.) Why did I sing the Dies Irae in German? Because I love singing in German! I am legitimately proud of this piece but most praise should go to Colin and Keilan for their performances in a work with more changes than Kings Cross Station.
Awkward Geisha with Tom Antona & Larry Boothroyd – Here At The End
There is that pounding break beat and repetitive bass line but now the sound palette is altered (presumably due to Mr Boothroyd). Despite the strength of the original version, this remix has much to recommend it. There is more space here, as if the music and text is given room to breathe, if that does not sound too pretentious (which it probably does). Ye gods, this is a really powerful poem / text. Top marks to Mr Antona who, I assume, is responsible for it. Actually, top marks to everyone involved in this and every other Geisha track on this volume.
Howl In The Typewriter – Fluffy Sorbet
Ooh, pStan, you’ve gone all fluffy. I tried a lemon sorbet once . . . it was faintly disgusting. I do like ice cream (but never, ever, chocolate ice cream which is an abomination) but not sorbets. This is another track with a slight reggae feel to it – minimal drum beat, restrained bass and odd synthesiser sounds plus the obligatory sampled voices, some of which are clear while others are intentionally indistinct. Thus this gives the impression of a dream. Like Punch Drunk by The Large Veiny Members, nothing much happens yet, despite being 8 minutes in duration, I was never bored or impatient with it. This piece is almost entirely very slow and very quiet . . . an unusual yet effective way to end a godspunk volume.
Conclusion: the major impact on godspunk volume twenty-six is the combined contribution from Awkward Geisha with his rap / hip hop / grime tracks. This creates a slightly different mien to the entire project compared to previous volumes. Then there is the preponderance of avant garde soundscapes which appear in ubiquitous profusion here, to its credit in my biased opinion. Of course this makes our tracks sound rather old fashioned and stuck in the seventies yet this is not a complaint. The 1970s had great music and crap politics as opposed to the 1980s which had great politics and crap music. Even stalwarts Nil by Nose and The Large Veiny Members submitted tracks that were more avant garde than previous contributions. If I was a commercial radio disc jockey (heaven forbid) I’d not find much here that merited radio play . . . but perhaps that is actually a compliment.
At this juncture it is customary for me to list my 3 favourite tracks from the collection. Previously I used to include our own tracks if appropriate but I shall abandon that practise. It’s cheating. Thus, if I had to select 3 tracks as my favourites, what would they be?
1 Lud Waste – Memories of Hughenden Valley
2 Awkward Geisha – Here At The End (Larry Boothroyd Remix)
3 DOORGASM – Dressage Is Dead
This is an excessively rare occasion when a HITT track is not among my top trio but, equally rare, there is not one HITT track on this volume that I do not enjoy. Normally there are 2 or 3 I think are bloody brilliant while certain others are horrible. As usual, Nil by Nose and The Large Veiny Members give us works to inspire and infuriate (perhaps) but if they were absent, it would not be a bona fide godspunk. For the future: I really hope Awkward Geisha continues his exploration of rap, hip and grime but, most pertinent of all, it is absolutely imperative Data’s Cat and the taurus board return to godspunk. IT’S THE LAW!

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 2nd Oct 2023
To anyone new to the glorious gleeful cornucopia of cacophony that is godspunk, its originator, pStan Batcow, spends hours (days, probably) deciding upon the most effective running order for the disc such that each contributor can make the most impact and the album is as satisfying an experience as possible. Obviously this is highly subjective, and virtuoso programmers of CD players can arrange their own track orders. Thus after all the time and effort pStan spends on this task, it is perhaps deplorably ungrateful of me to ignore this and review each edition in my own manner, i.e. to group together tracks by each contributor rather than simply insert a disc and press ‘go’. Well, that’s the kind of cool, windswept and interesting (or, if you prefer, irritating) chap I am.
 - Proud Fuckoo Band - Poison
Poor pStan tries desperately to reach some of those high notes and really, methinks, perhaps the music should have been recorded a tone lower in pitch. This is punk rock, Jim, but not as we know it. The noise drowns in a sea of cymbals (I really don’t like cymbals) but then a really deep bass guitar line enters (think of The Slits, for comparison) but for my taste, the drums are far too loud and the guitars too quiet but then I’m a fan of Gentle Giant so what the devil do I know about anything? The number features a couple of slow sections for variety but I find this really irritating although I do enjoy that deep grumbling bass guitar part.
 - Proud Fuckoo Band - The Torturer’s Apprentice
Now, in general I really don’t like the kind of music this bunch plays but I award top marks for such an excellent title. This bizarre mess has pStan as a man being tortured, presumably by the horrible noise made by the drummer, bassist, guitarist and keyboard player. This is the most avant garde effort I’ve heard this group make but it’s still horrid. The lyric is interesting, true, but the music is actually painful to hear.
 - dr awkward - Tremolecho
In the early 1970s it was not uncommon for a progressive rock group to include a very brief instrumental interlude on an album (Yes: 5% For Nothing, The Groundhogs: The Ringmaster and Gentle Giant: Acquiring The Taste are 3 examples) and this piece sounds like one of those. It even has the right kind of sound: clean guitar with tremolo arm, Hammond organ and bass guitar playing a riff all based around one key. Now I want to hear the 7 minute anthem for the whole band that comes after it. Unfortunately this is the only contribution dr awkward makes this time around . . . unless he appears under different names elsewhere . . . so I hope he returns for more sonic adventures for godspunk volume twenty-six.
 - Gimp Gash & Awkward Geisha - I Get Up In The Morning
A single distorted late 1970s grunge guitar plays rifferama while the most annoying teenage American spoilt bitch of a girl ever to crawl upon the Earth complains bitterly about her appearance when she looks in the mirror (ha - I bet she’s still a damned sight better looking than I am). This is every pampered Californian darling whose hair refuses to sit just so and there’s that pimple which won’t go away . . . the whole day ruined . . . and that guitar continues to drone away. God, this is horrible! Yet it does suit the lyric, the hysterical complaints of a typical middle class teenager for whom her appearance is more important than religion, politics or the oil spillage that annihilated all those sea birds recently. (PS I really wish she didn’t have to include so many profanities. I really don’t like the prodigious use of swear words . . . so you can imagine my response to many of pStan’s lyrics, of course.) At nearly 3 minutes I find this does become repetitive but even that, too, suits the subject of the ‘lyric’. Call mum in, quick, and give that brainless bimbo a slap! While we’re at it, tell Chuck there to put down his guitar and get ready for school.
 - Gimp Gash - Christmas Tree
Well, I suspect this just might be the most totally bizarre and utterly bonkers track on this edition of godspunk. This is (originally) a solo vocal - Awkward Geisha presumably since it sounds like the same woman from I Get Up In The Morning. Imagine 3 different vocal tracks, each of which features speech. Some sadist has taken the recordings, repeated segments, cut them into fragments then stuck them together at random. The effect is remarkably unpleasant and actually quite disturbing. I’m reminded of one of those Nurse With Wound tracks where pre-recorded voices are added to electronic sounds and industrial noises . . . except here all we have are the pre-recorded voice parts. Note for all independent radio stations: I dare you to play this track on the air. Go on . . . I dare you!
 - Infected Youth - The Madness Of Understanding Defined
An organist, two guitarists and a bass guitarist from a rock group circa 1969 have teamed up with the drummer from Oasis to indulge in a typical late 1960s groove while, presumably on tape (or perhaps from Heaven), Stephen Hawking comments on the genesis of life on Earth compared with the possibility of life commencing elsewhere in the galaxy. His voice plus that drummer place this track in a 1990s setting yet the music and instrumentation is strictly late sixties . . . an odd effect. These cats can clearly play proficiently and the production is clear and powerful; I just wish the music included more chord changes rather than repetitive riffs.
 - Infected Youth - The Cosmos Is Created
Here we have a guitar driven 1990s flavoured rock piece that tends to remain in the same key for far too long (you know by now how I love lots of different chords playing interesting harmonic shifts). This would sound less repetitive if the pre-recorded female voice was LOUD so we could actually hear what she’s saying since the few words I can discern sound intriguing. However, despite that complaint, this piece is solid rock of high calibre, played proficiently and with panache.
 - Infected Youth - The Cosmos Expands
Another hard rocking guitar driven groove in a late 1960s idiom and now we hear both pre-recorded voices, namely Stephen Hawking and that woman but (sigh) their voices are so bloody quiet it’s almost impossible for me to hear what they’re saying. TURN THEM UP! Come on, chaps, bring those voices up in the mix so we can hear them. Despite that, this band can certainly play their instruments . . . I just wish they’d change key more often and use different chords in their music.
 - The Friendly Singing Frog - LSD Trip In A Haunted House
What the devil is this . . . a hair dryer, vacuum cleaner or someone breathing through a gas mask, the sound of which is then fed through a fuzz box? A synthesiser adds occasional squits and bleeps here and there while disparate voices are heard, vaguely, underneath all this noise. Is this really how frogs sing, even friendly ones? Christ, what a racket! I can detect 5 or 6 different sound sources played simultaneously here in a cacophonous mélange which refuses to relinquish its harsh, grating, sibilant noise . . . for over 6 minutes! If this is a frog being friendly then God help us if it ever decides to be angry. This is very much Throbbing Gristle meets Nurse With Wound territory in their most abrasive manner. At the end a solitary voice murmurs on the subject of marijuana and Satan which is perhaps hardly surprising, given the deluge of noise we’ve just endured.
 - Cauliflower Ass & Bob - Shot Up The Outhouse Again
An acoustic guitar plays just 3 chords over and over again while a slightly hysterical Hillbilly recites the woes and lamentations that afflict him each time he goes to the lavatory where, thanks to his trusty shotgun, he can ward off a local wild dog and then a tax collector. To this rather bizarre folk rockery is added a trumpet player who clearly is not the most adept of performers . . . yet he enters into the spirit of the piece with wild abandon so it all makes a curious kind of sense.
 - Cauliflower Ass & Bob - Gopher Stew
As a strict vegetarian, I must protest! It transpires Mr. Cauliflower intended to shoot Bob (presumably the trumpet player) but missed and blasted a poor gopher to perdition instead. As for his recommendation for skunk fricassee, er, I suspect even if I was a carnivore I might prefer not to indulge . . . no, I’ll opt for cheese salad instead, thanks. Ye gods, imagine a whole album of this stuff . . . then again, I’d prefer not to imagine it. The prospect is too terrible to tolerate. These brief folk pieces wedged between other tracks here provide stark contrasts, however, so I’m pleased they are included . . . but you leave those poor gophers alone, y’hear?
 - Cauliflower Ass & Bob - Waste Of Life
Christ, this is one sick song! It’s black, bleak humour at its best. No, seriously, this is utterly brilliant! Those rhymes . . . that trumpet (which ought to be really annoying yet it isn’t) and the subject matter all combine to create a mini-masterpiece. For me, this is easily the best of the trio of pieces here and it has one of the best lyrics I’ve ever heard. Who needs Crosby Stills Nash & Young when we have Cauliflower Ass & Bob?
 - Shaun Robert - Le orem
Drums and percussion provide almost all the content of this strange piece. Although this is definitely organised, hardly ever do the drums lock into a steady beat or pulse. There are a couple of vague voices, one right at the front, in our faces, another right over there at the back of the warehouse. This echoes the recording of the drums, too, as some of them are totally dry in sound, as if played in a small room a couple of feet from us while others are hammered out in that huge reverberant warehouse. The effect is even more apparent if you listen to this curious piece through headphones.
 - John Anthony Rowland - The Last Laugh
A Victorian musical box . . . one of those large metal discs that plays chimes . . . followed by church bells, all subjected to electronic manipulation . . . reminds me very much of some of the electronic pieces by Gyorgy Ligeti, Iannis Xenakis or Luciano Berio. The chimes, bells and clangourous cacophony quickly subside into a quiet, contemplative section in which only a few sounds interrupt the flow, before that Victorian musical box returns to bring the piece to a satisfying conclusion. I had to listen to this piece again (through headphones this time) to see if my response might be different . . . but in fact the effect is the same, more or less: highly intriguing and strangely appealing. It could easily be used legitimately as the soundtrack to an avant garde film yet it also stands on its own merits. My only slight criticism is that I’d like the piece to be slightly longer.
 - John Anthony Rowland - Where’s Ma?
Well, I definitely did not expect this, especially after The Last Laugh. This is strictly from a 1960s television series about a private detective . . . except it isn’t, of course. On the contrary, it’s his own original composition. The occasional pre-recorded voices annoy me intensely and I’d really prefer it if they were omitted. Otherwise, this is a splendid slice of guitar twang, organ backed cool jazz inflected music with descending bass guitar figure and subtle ride cymbal just for jolly, wouldn’t you? On its own merits this is effective but if I heard this after The Last Laugh and was not told who were the creators of both pieces, I’d never suspect they were by the same person. I am mightily intrigued. Very impressive. Oh, please return for godspunk volume twenty-six!
 - The Large Veiny Members - Digital Chewing Gum
Regular contributors to godspunk since shortly after the Earth’s crust cooled, they give us a cool blue blast of electronic whose anodyne keyboard and rhythm box groove creates a fairly accurate depiction of the title. Ye gods this is irritating! It’s played proficiently and the recording is clear and precise . . . which is what such a piece requires, of course . . . but evidently I am not a fan of chewing gum, digital or analogue. However, at around 3 minutes in, the ambience changes and the music becomes slightly more conventional in sound, like a 1990s club number . . . very repetitive, mind you. There are a few deliberate glitches cleverly inserted that cause the otherwise steady beat to skip and jump; a highly disconcerting effect. Initially I thought the disc might be faulty so I played it again . . . but no, it’s really meant to sound like that. What a curious piece!
 - Vic Vox - Yellow Dress
This is a brief guitar strummerama - bright, breezy and thoroughly pleasant. Halfway through a piano enters and I wish it was slightly more prominent in the mix. Also, I’d prefer it if the guitar had a cleaner, less distorted sound. Despite these minor caveats, this is a delightful little interlude. I presume the young lass who wears the yellow dress to be the recipient of this piece . . . so I hope she appreciates it.
 - Nil By Nose - Visual Score
Like The Large Veiny Members, if a godspunk collection did not include a Nil By Nose track then it would not be a genuine godspunk collection and that’s official. Every godspunk collection must have at least 1 track by Nil By Nose. IT’S THE LAW. An alternative title for this would be My Synthesiser Can Beat Up Your Synthesiser. Another alternative title would be Synthesisers On Toast. Sounds bubble and simmer, as if it might be possible to shove recordings into a cooking pot and place them on a stove, gas mark 6. For much of the piece there are 3 distinct strands (left, centre and right) that are easy to discern and distinguish from each other. A female voice, grotesquely distorted, is added here and there. Each of these 3 primary strands dominate for a few seconds then recede into the distance again when that hysterical voice returns. This is a finely crafted work and, especially when heard through headphones, it soon becomes apparent a considerable amount of time and effort was expended to ensure its disparate elements can be heard with clarity. I’d love to hear this played on the radio, too.
 - NostrilFlair - Reality Breath
Oh, this is more like it . . . like what? Like the kind of soundscape / music / noise to which I respond with enthusiasm. Think: Throbbing Gristle, The Nocturnal Emissions, The Lemon Kittens, Five Or Six and Nurse With Wound . . . which from me is high praise indeed. This fascinates me because there’s almost nothing there - it’s a musical comet, i.e. the closest thing to nothing that is still something. (Comets are generally huge but have an extremely low mass, since you ask.) Ostensibly it features a synthesiser or taped electronic sound that drifts with infinite malevolence across the atmosphere while a heavily distorted voice growls and mutters in the background. Is that all? Well, basically, yes . . . so how the devil do they manage to make this piece so spine tingling? Recommendation: listen to this via headphones for maximum effect. Ye gods this is brilliant!
I’ve just listened to this piece 3 times in succession now. It puts me in mind of some of the electronic sounds used in the background on late 1960s Troughton era Doctor Who episodes: unsettling, disturbing with a suggestion of malice. How does this piece manage to make such an impact when there’s hardly anything much actually happening here? Really, this is one of the most intriguing pieces I’ve heard on any godspunk collection.
 - NostrilFlair - I Have Never Been So Humiliated!
Cabaret Voltaire . . . Clock DVA . . . The Nocturnal Emissions . . . that’s where we are located in this electronic beat driven synthesiser groove with its pre-recorded vocal (slowed down slightly) giving us the title of the piece. Not nearly so impressive as Reality Breath (but this is purely a comment on my own musical preferences rather than any judgement of the piece itself) but still a cogent blast of electronics that sounds 21st century, despite the references (musical signposts) I gave earlier. I listened to it again at low volume to see if it was still as powerful . . . it is!
 - NostrilFlair & Anna Acciarini - Private Eye
Hmm . . . no, I’m not so enthusiastic about this one. We have a drum machine beat, an organ and splendid growling synthesiser under a flowing river of sneering vocals that slither and slide as they insinuate themselves into the mix . . . a dirty, thoroughly unpleasant sound which definitely suits the mood but somehow, I don’t know, it doesn’t impress me as much as the other 2 contributions here. It does sound more effective through speakers rather than headphones.
 - COREGASM - tERRA nULLIUS
Ye gods, what the hell is this? You’re in your living room with the windows wide open. There’s a crowd outside engaged in a party, perhaps it’s a barbecue. You have a CD someone’s sent to you but you don’t have time to listen to all of it so you skip through 3 or 4 tracks, playing a few seconds of each one. Next door, your younger sister’s faffing about with a new synthesiser dad bought her for Christmas and she keeps making these annoying sounds with it now and then, interrupting our concentration . . . and after a couple of minutes you turn off the CD player in disgust. Honestly, that is, to my mind, a fairly accurate description of this very curious jigsaw of apparently unrelated sounds here. I really don’t quite know how to respond to this but it is never boring or tedious, despite (or maybe due to) the extremely fragmented nature of the piece.
 - COREGASM - a pAEAN fOR cONSUMERISM
Imagine John Cage had a fully functional brain . . . his soundscapes might have sounded very similar to this . . . but Cage was boring . . . this is not. You know the annoying sound made by wind against a microphone when you’re trying to record that Sedge Warbler . . . that provides much of the material on which additional sounds are added. There are a series of keyboard chords that drift into consciousness from silence which are then silenced abruptly. These appear approximately every 20 seconds. An electronic female voice advises customers to play their i-phones into the area provided. Other voices and electronic noises are occasionally heard, vague and indistinct. The entire piece is like one of those dreams where sounds from the real world intrude and your mind incorporates them into the dream. This outfit (I don’t know if it’s a single person, a duo or a group) are one of the most intriguing contributors to godspunk I have ever heard. Note: with this and tERRA nULLIUS, if you hear it in the background while you do the washing up, i.e. use it as sonic wallpaper, it won’t work properly . . . but if you sit down and really listen to it, the effect is most impressive.
 - COREGASM - wE sNAP tHE tHUMBS
Pre-recorded voices of special forces veterans share combat stories over a rumbling river of synthesiser and electronics. One chap explains how, despite being 64 years old, he still retains the ability to ‘take someone out’ by snapping their thumbs so they cannot hold a rifle or a knife again. Because the voices are so fascinating, it is easy to focus on the content of their tales and ignore the incredibly interesting sounds that provide an accompaniment so rich and varied in style and sound. The work is continuously quiet and contemplative, as it needs to be, so we can listen to this special forces veteran describe how he disarmed and disabled assailants. I have profound respect for our armed services so I don’t find this track at all disturbing or malevolent but I suspect peacenicks and pacifists will cringe and wince at some of the dialogue. C’est la vie. In summary, it is clear to me that COREGASM provide 3 of the strongest, most imaginative and intriguing works on this collection and I sincerely hope they return for volume twenty-six.
 - UNIT - The End Of Days
If that failed NME interviewer, still breathless after his narrow escape from the Batcow Rottweilers, dared to ask me his infernal question ‘what kind of music does your group do’, I’d answer ‘progressive rock and bloody proud of it’. This isn’t strictly accurate, of course, but such a response usually tends to cause people to cringe and dread exposure to the next UNIT track so that’s grand.
Well, if pStan is allowed to go all 1980s big hair cock rock on us then so are we. This track was written in a single day (an extreme rarity) while we listened to the radio and chortled at the absurdity of Charles The 3rd being crowned as the next king of England. It was all so utterly irrelevant! Although the political beliefs of each group member are different, even divergent now and then, on one topic we are agreed: we are not monarchists! The inspiration for the music comes from Tarot Woman by Rainbow although thankfully it does not sound much like Blackmore’s ridiculous wretches and we should all be profoundly grateful for that, of course.
 - UNIT - The Seven
7 famous people from the Torah (the Jewish bible consisting of the 5 books of Moses) makes obligatory a track in 7/4 metre. Each of the people is granted their own special chord (derived from numbers given in the Kabbalah associated with Moses, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Ruth and David) which, when heard in succession, provide a glorious harmonic progression. It was my original intention to add attributes to each person to offer brief thumbnail descriptions of each of them but ultimately I decided their names would suffice and, as I listen to this now, I believe I made the correct decision. It’s rock music, Jim, but not as we know it. Yes, I’m proud of this piece and I will not hide behind false modesty although I admit my singing is still second rate. Rats!
 - UNIT - Stefan
Because I am often associated with sad, depressing ballads, I derived considerable pleasure from writing this witty little ditty about an imaginary boy in a children’s home (I’ve written at least a dozen songs and ballads with life in a children’s home as the topic) who creates hell and havoc in his neighbourhood, eagerly supported by his peers, male and female alike, as they clap and cheer. Imagine a short film about Dennis The Menace directed by Nick Love or Alan Clark . . . and then some. This is written in my ‘folk song’ style but played as a rock number. I’m chuffed with this lyric, too. I wish I could write like this more often. The idiom is similar to that used by Scottish satirical folk singer Matt McGinn, since you ask.
 - UNIT - Pesach (Passover)
Ye gods, compared to The Large Veiny Members, Nostril Flair, COREGASM, Shaun Robert and John Anthony Rowland, our work sounds really conservative and ‘normal’. Is that a comment in our favour? Probably not. This is my own celebration of Pesach, partly to offer an explanation to Gentiles what the ceremony means. The presence of Rabbi Moshe Bryski is an added bonus; he kindly agreed to include his speech on our piece so we are indebted to him for this contribution to the work. Musically I am quite proud of this even though, again, my singing is not as clear and pitch perfect as it ought to be. I would prefer it to be sung by a girl or a woman but, alas, we don’t have access to a female vocalist so you’re left with my ragged caterwaul instead. I thank Colin and Keilan for their patience and tolerance here since they must surely find my series of Jewish themed works rather tedious or, at least, slightly surreal!
 - UNIT - Yom Kippur (including Kol Nidre)
Yom Kippur is, for me, the most important holy day in all Judaism. It is somewhat erroneously known as the ‘day of atonement’ but this is not accurate. However, this is not the place to deliver a lecture on Judaism or the Talmud. Note: I do not use the traditional melody for the Kol Nidre but I recite the words over a chord progression instead. The inclusion of the mighty Ben Shapiro in the extensive middle section is my personal homage to the man who, more than any other human being on the planet, has influenced my religious and political thought over the past decade. Incidentally, we both share a dubious accolade: we have both received death threats from the American ‘alt right’. Frankly, I did not realise I was so important. I am honoured! Yet Chris Low (drummer of The Apostles in the 1980s) sent me an email (July 2023) in which he accused me of being a member of this same ‘alt right’. I was not aware the American Nazi movement now accepted kykes and queers into their unholy legion. How bizarre.
For those who are interested, the best modern setting of the Kol Nidre is the one created in 1938 by the German composer Arnold Schönberg, living in exile in America at the time. I recommend the version spoken by John Shirley Quirk with the BBC Choir and BBC Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Boulez.
 - UNIT - The Phoenix
We usually endeavour to include at least 1 purely instrumental work in our contributions to godspunk and this, in my thoroughly biased opinion, is one of the best works we have ever written and recorded. Ye gods, I am so chuffed with it! Everything sounds as I imagined it in my head prior to its recording. The outer sections are derived from a work of the same title I wrote in 1983 for The Apostles while the central segments are strictly from 2023. While we are not a guitar based group, I wanted to give Keilan a chance to have a bit of a bash so I wrote a guitar part for him to ‘rock out’ on. I wanted to write a rock track not based upon riffs or 4 bar phrases . . . so I did. However, I had to write the actual notes down so poor Colin and Keilan knew what the hell to play next. Harmonically the work is inspired by the ‘vocal’ movement of the Gemini Suite by Jon Lord (1971) although I never actually include quotes from the piece.
 - UNIT - The Noahide Laws
The final instalment of our Judaic tracks, this caused (much to my surprise) criticism, complaints and actual insults from people on Bit Chute, You Tube and elsewhere when we released it. It is my contention that if everyone, regardless of their religion (or absence of it), followed the edicts detailed in these 7 laws, the world would be a far nicer place. Atheists can substitute ‘decency, nobility, honesty’ for God if they wish. Well, honestly, I fail to see what all the fuss is about. Colin and Keilan deserve special recognition for their magnificent contributions to this anthem. We thank Rabbi Yitzchok Breitowitz for his contribution to the track, too.
 - UNIT - Where Do You Find Your Funk?
My passion for late sixties soul and early seventies funk is clearly apparent here, much to the dismay of Colin and Keilan who, bless them both, took deep breaths and launched themselves into the groove despite their musical tastes being somewhat different to my own here. I wanted to write a track which paid homage to outfits such as Graham Central Station, The Barkays and Tower Of Power but really, to achieve this, I’d need someone with the right kind of voice . . . and I don’t really have the right kind of voice for this material. Rumours that we all donned Afro wigs, flared trousers and platform soled shoes to record this are utterly without foundation and I deny the accusations entirely.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - To Be Announced
If I was pStan I’d find it really annoying if some two-bit failed NME interviewer asked me ‘what kind of music does Howl in the Typewriter do’. All kinds! That’s the answer I’d snap before I turned to my trusty bodyguard and hissed ‘now release the hounds’.
Well, here we go: pStan goes all Hard Rock on us . . . an oddly disturbing coalition, to be sure. I have one complaint about this: the oddly muffled manner in which the vocals are recorded. It sounds as if he’s yelling through a megaphone (which might be what’s happening here, for all I know). As with virtually all his tracks, the lyrics are generally important, often witty and always worth hearing so it’s a pity with this lyric, I really do need the booklet with the track lyrics in it which, thankfully, he provides for us. The drums are rock steady and the bass guitar line is lovely; it ripples like a winding river. The jangly guitars spit fragmented phrases right and left which allows the slightly distorted bass guitar to be heard as it wends its way through the melee. There’s a brief respite in the middle of the number but it’s only (so it seems to me) so the drums, bass and guitars may catch their collective breath and gather momentum to resume the onslaught.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Do You Mind?
Played after The Seven, this sounds like pStan saying ‘oh, UNIT want to drag out their 1970s synthesisers, yeah? Well then, 2 can play at that routine’. ‘The movies and the television are filled with characters I don’t even want to know’ a voice intones over those 1980s Cynthia Size A’s and a drummer who sounds as if he / she cannot quite decide what beat to play. Parts of this remind me of late period Hawkwind while other aspects sound more akin to The Lemon Kittens or even The Shock Headed Peters. I find the piece rather too long for my taste, perhaps because that apparently indecisive drummer and limited harmonic palette of the keyboard combined with the slightly hysterical voice begin to annoy me . . . although the final 50 seconds are rather good as the piece appears to come together for a brief guitar driven groove . . . but then it collapses and a petulant middle aged woman retorts ‘do you mind?’ HitT are never liable to win any ‘easy listening’ awards.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - The Jesus Foreskin, Chapter & Verse
Serving suggestion: play The Noahide Laws by UNIT . . . then listen to this piece!
Why are so many people, particularly those of the younger generation, so ineffably hostile and insulting toward the Bible in particular and toward orthodox religion in general? The text to this avant garde soundscape provides one answer . . . and perhaps it is a definitive response to popes, priests, parsons and preachers everywhere. My criticism of people who attack the Bible and religion is that they rant and rave from an emotional reaction rather than issue criticisms based upon research and actual examples . . . so this extremely angry assault serves as a salutary lesson to all those erstwhile critics since it is cogent, intelligent and properly researched with each fearsome fact hammered into place.
What we have here is a grim and gruesome litany of Popes whose papal paedophilia proves they ought never to have been allowed anywhere near decent people. The list of biblical contents included at the start of the piece, while hardly fair (given its lack of context) is still accurate and I’d be interested to know how my Rabbi would respond to this. You see, what pStan gives us here are facts - hard, incontrovertible facts - rather than opinions. I wish the vocal was slightly louder in the mix: these words need to be heard! On a purely musical level I rank this amongst the strongest, most powerful pieces pStan has created. It raises nasty, unpleasant but necessary questions (particularly for people like me) and we must confront them and acknowledge their truth even if it disturbs our deliberations on what the Torah can (and does) teach us.
The Hebrew word ‘Israel’ means ‘struggle with God’ (in contrast to the Arabic word ‘Islam’ which means ‘submission to God’) and the dreadful facts recounted here merit considerable struggle. Yes, the bible really does contain all those elements pStan lists at the start and, when placed in this new context, does cause us to ruminate upon what the world’s best selling book contains. Sex, violence and absurdity are clearly abundant, for instance, but how much of that is the fault of the Bible and how much is the fault of the people (popes, priests and parsons) who use it as their manual? I am glad pStan does not attempt to set his words to orthodox music but adopts a trenchantly avant garde idiom instead; this text requires an accompaniment that shocks and disturbs us as much as the words themselves.
Note: the first person to complain bitterly about the sex, violence and filth contained in the Bible was Mark Twain, the author who gave us Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, so pStan is in prestigious company.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - VANdalism
A battering snare drum, a swirling keyboard and a deep, grumbling bass guitar provide the accompaniment to this sad text about the break-up of a friendship. What I really enjoy in this number is its use of variable tempi - it speeds up and slows down while all the elements manage to stay together strictly in time with each other. I wish the lead vocal was slightly sharper and clearer, though. I really like the bass guitar sound on this piece. This sounds as if it started life as a bright and breezy pop song, originally, but filtered through pStan’s process it is subverted, mutated into . . . er . . . this. It’s an idiom you’ll often hear in his more ‘conventional’ works: pop ballads twisted and shredded into new forms that sit uncomfortably, straddling neither one genre nor another.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Quoth a Messenger
The insertion of the Thames Television ident into this chunky rock track is most effective. The piece is replete with stereo electric guitar feedback in true heavy metal style which fits the idiom. Only in the quieter central section do we hear a vocal but this is too bloody quiet! Turn it up, pStan, so everyone can hear it. The lyric appears not to be included in the texts provided elsewhere so the somewhat whispered words are barely discernible which is a shame since pStan’s lyrics nearly always merit attention. The music is bright and bouncy to contrast the fuzz guitars, heavy bass guitar and drums. At times it does sound slightly cluttered, as if too many instruments play simultaneously but since that criticism can legitimately be levelled at 80% of our own work, I am reminded of that maxim about people who live in glass houses.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Titanium
Every now and then pStan creates a track that really, really annoys me on a musical level. This is one of them. It’s a musical jigsaw that stops and starts. This is actually quite a complex melange of disparate elements, especially apparent when heard through headphones. (Note: when I write these reviews, I listen to every track [except the UNIT works since I am sufficiently familiar with them, of course] through speakers then again through headphones.) The text is slightly surreal . . . not sure to what it refers but perhaps that merely adds to the overall effect of the piece.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Headclutter
Oh, it’s Hugh Hopper of The Soft Machine on bass guitar . . . splendid. This is a rock track recorded at a session on which the drummer forgot the date and failed to arrive, so the band went ahead and recorded the piece anyway. Actually, much as I love variety, this track could do with a drum beat . . . probably . . . possibly . . . but despite that, it still rocks along nicely while pStan informs us he intends to rid his head of all the junk it accrues as a consequence of living in the 21st century. I endorse the sentiment entirely. It’s one of the reasons I don’t possess a television or a mobile phone and never use social media, so there. I’ve noticed almost every Howl in the Typewriter piece includes a heavy, slightly distorted bass guitar. Well, I am never liable to complain about that!
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Chillax
A synthesiser bubbles and burbles over which pStan adds gentle harmony vocals. I’m pleased he added my recording of the Chinese Cuckoo as well (we originally intended to include an instrumental we recorded called The Chinese Cuckoo but we replaced it with Stefan instead). This must surely rank as one of the quietest, most gentle pieces pStan has ever recorded yet even this contrives to sound slightly spiky and malevolent. His exhortations for us to relax and ‘chill’ are difficult to adopt given the disquieting and unsettling elements in the music.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - The Jesus Foreskin, Forever & Ever, Amen
Is that a bass guitar or a keyboard sample of a bass guitar? It sounds superb anyway. A couple of synthesisers enter and we’re off . . . the same basic idea but now set to a funky (well, almost) musical accompaniment. I definitely prefer the avant garde soundscape of the Chapter & Verse but this has its moment, too. It’s a bit too chaotic for my taste and the vocal line quickly becomes repetitive.
 - Howl in the Typewriter's most favouritist ever (not) being played on the radio
A radio DJ announces his favourite Howl in the Typewriter track then realises he can’t play it after all because he’s left the CD at home!

For the 20th anniversary this set provides a decent contribution. Indeed, I don’t believe there’s a single weak track on here. Certainly there are a few (but not many) I find slightly tedious but only because they don’t match my limited musical tastes. This is, for me, one of the strongest and most consistently satisfying volumes yet . . . perhaps ever. Now then, guys ‘n’ gals, if I had to select just 5 tracks as my favourites, what would they be?
Nostril Flair - Reality Breath
John Anthony Rowland - The Last Laugh
Howl in the Typewriter - The Jesus Foreskin, Chapter & Verse
COREGASM - wE sNAP tHE tHUMBS
Nil By Nose - Visual Score
I’ve not included UNIT in there because that would be cheating. Now suppose I had to select just 1 track as ‘the best’ out of the 5 listed above . . . difficult. It’s a battle between Howl in the Typewriter, Mr. Rowland and COREGASM . . . but I think, on a purely musical level, Howl in the Typewriter takes the biscuit, so to speak. As I mentioned in the reviews, I really hope Nostril Flair, John Anthony Rowland and COREGASM return for future volumes of godspunk. They prove to be revelations to me for their inventiveness and originality.

Question: so which Howl in the Typewriter track did that DJ want to play then?

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 15th Jan 2023
Important note: on Wednesday, 5th October 2022 (Yom Kippur ironically) I woke up at 7 am and found I’d gone almost completely blind. I have approximately 20% vision - I can see objects provided they are not further than 3 or 4 inches from my face and even then they are slightly blurred. Beyond that it is as if I stare at the world through heavily frosted glass. I mention this to account for the absence of any reaction to the artwork contained in the booklet. I simply cannot see it clearly enough to offer any valid comments. However, I have a theory: I think it is just possible the front cover and disc labels might feature a clown.
 - Howl in the Typewriter
With no less than 11 tracks, godspunk volume twenty-four can be said to contain a whole HITT mini-album within its varied contents. Well, you’ll not hear me complain about that. Now, on the other hand, if ever there were 11 tracks by Quougnpt on an edition of godspunk, you’d hear my howl of rage and despair from here to Watford.
Antivirus
10 out of 10 for the skilful manner in which pStan layers the ABC Television jingle over his music. The first half serves as an instrumental prelude to a frenetic and slightly jungle / drum and bass influenced fuzztone guitar driven piece with only occasional vocal interjections plus the mandatory sampled voices that are often a feature of HITT pieces. Frankly I’d prefer this piece bereft of any vocals or voices since the guitar, bass guitar, drums and ABC samples are quite sufficient. For me, the voices make matters too cluttered and untidy but perhaps that’s what he intended.
Boris Blows His Bugle
I assume our pStan is not a Tory to judge from this perky pop piece. His spoken vocal is sped up so he sounds like a 12 year old. Under this we have guitar, bass and drums plus a bugle blown with gay abandon . . . some of the notes are even in tune with the music, more or less. Musically this is a bit of a mess and the vocal needs to be slightly more prominent in the mix so we can hear the surreal imaginary exploits of Boris Johnson . . . or are they imaginary? If it is true that Bojo took Top Of The Pops off the air then he deserves accolades for such a public spirited act.
Broken Humans
Sampled vaguely orchestral sounds introduce a passionate vocal by pStan whose misanthropy matches or even supersedes my own. The film music samples (if that is what they are) imbue the piece with an epic, dramatic quality that emphasise the scathing lyric so typical of pStan’s work. ‘Evolution will speak for itself.’ Yes, indeed. There are other instruments added to the sampled melange, most notably a bass guitar. Yes, this is indeed a powerful indictment against humanity at its most wretched.
Six Legs Of The ConvenAnt
This fuzztone guitar inflected rifferama seems to be a parody of all those third rate joke bands of the seventies like Led Zeppelin and Bad Company, God rot their souls. There’s a bass guitar here but, oddly, no drums. The lyric is strange and not altogether amenable to interpretation unless the tepid shallows of my failing brain have missed an important message here.
Twice Around The Sun
I like the title. The music commences with a slow, almost break beat rhythm on drums and bass guitar before it settles into a mid tempo groove. Harmonically it tends to tedium but then I’m a classical music fan so I am not best qualified to pass judgement on music of this genre. Guitar and synthesiser add interesting touches here and there. After 2 minutes the beat morphs into swing mode before the original rhythm returns. This is an extreme rarity - a purely instrumental HITT work - which does make a pleasant change from pStan’s vocal histrionic bludgeoning sarcasm and spite, enjoyable though that is, of course.
New Strange
This splendid bouncing pop piece tells a possibly apocryphal tale about a chap called Tim informed by fuzztone guitar, bass guitar and drums plus the addition of a pair of alto saxophones played (not simultaneously) by myself and some rippling lead guitar work by pStan. Only in the drum rolls do we realise that’s a drum machine playing - drum machines never seem able to replicate drum rolls with fidelity. An effective gesture here is the gradual rallantando as the tempo decreases before the initial music returns, albeit in a slightly muted, less frenetic form. This track shows pStan has not lost his ability to write infectious pop songs with instantly memorable melodies.
Out Of Step
A rather electronic, synthesiser driven accompaniment with fractured rhythms and broken sequences forms an uneven and uneasy basis for pStan’s double tracked vocal. ‘Get down, Shep’ is a reference to a BBC television children's magazine programme called Blue Peter whose most famous and best loved presenter, John Noakes, often had to try to calm down Shep, one of the many dogs featured as studio pets in the many decades of the programme’s history. Blue Peter was an excellent programme for children with its wholesome content and Christian values. As for the content of pStan’s lyric . . . no, I’m not certain what the piece is about but it does reveal the range of his disparate musical styles. His work is rarely if ever predictable.
The Downturn
Extremely minimal music (simplistic drum pattern and repetitive guitar figure) accompany another of pStan’s aggressively hostile indictments of humanity in all its rich variety of a toilet. When I observe the behaviour of all the brutes, fools and scoundrels that pollute the planet, I find it almost impossible not to sympathise (maybe even empathise) with his misanthropic sentiments.
Angels
Is that a violoncello added to the bass guitar and funky drums? Splendid. I think pStan has had a difficult relationship with women over the past few years / decades to judge from this and certain other lyrics on previous HITT pieces. This piece reminds me of the less eccentric works by The Lemon Kittens although the vocal style is radically different, of course. The drums and bass are so spiky, the smooth phrases of the 'cello compensate nicely. This is (so far) my favourite HITT track on offer here.
Psychopomps
This is HITT at their most avant garde. No, I thought Angels was my favourite track - I lied. This is my favourite HITT track on here. The first half has synthesiser swoops and bleeps under pStan’s snarling rant . . . then a drum beat enters but is cut off after only a few seconds to be replaced by further electronic stabs and stutters although none of this stops pStan in his diatribe. My only complaint about this piece is its dreadful title - because otherwise it is, in my (biased) opinion, one of the very best works he has ever recorded. Brilliant. Excellent. Superb. Faultless (except for that abysmal title).
Puppet & Bleep
This commences like Public Image but with a proper vocalist with its minimalist drum pattern and rumbling bass guitar. For me, this is not especially memorable but only in comparison with many of the other HITT tracks on offer here. Heard in isolation I think it might have more impact.
 - Food Fortunata
I know nothing about this outfit but they provide 6 tracks and therefore present a major portion of material for this collection.
Devo Tried To Warn Us
A drum machine (possibly) under a punky bass and guitar a la early 1980s cassette idiom but with the additional surprise of a trumpet accompanies a humorous text that does its job in little over a minute. I’d prefer the vocals to be louder in the mix. This is definitely not my kind of music but who cares about my musical preferences? Nobody with any sense.
King Tut Gave Me A High Five
Drum machine + bass guitar + fuzztone guitar + slightly manic trumpet blasts + those definitely deranged vocals evidently add up to the Food Fortunata sound. God alone knows what the lyric means . . . if it means anything . . . if it even needs to ‘mean’ anything. These guys clearly enjoy what they do and it reminds me of the kind of racket your older brothers made after a particularly rambunctious stag night when, swiping whatever cheap and nasty musical instruments they could find in the house, they treated the family (those still awake) to a drunken revelry that displayed more passion than musical proficiency. There’s nothing pompous or pretentious about this stuff which speaks in its favour, of course.
873741
I was wrong - it isn’t a drum machine; it’s a live drummer plus bass guitar, guitar and that manic trumpet only now the 2 vocalists are separated left and right with much improved clarity. ‘This numeric sequence is awkward and uncomfortable.’ As a student of mathematics I naturally regard this piece favourably . . . but that doesn’t enable me to enjoy the music which is far too early 80s punk rock for my taste but I do like those vocals.
At Last I Am Born
That same drums, bass, guitar, manic trumpet and dual vocal format informs this piece which is similar to the previous 3 works on display here . . . and this is the problem I experience with their work. Every track sounds very similar. If you enjoy their sound then this is not a problem, of course, but for me, it is a limitation I find difficult to endure.
Hot Dog For Dinner Instead
Now this time it really is a drum machine playing and yes, there’s the fuzzy guitar and bass (or maybe there isn’t a bass after all) plus that manic trumpet and those dual vocals inviting us to join them for dinner. Well, being a vegetarian, I’ll avoid the hot dogs, chaps, if you don’t mind . . . besides, they’re hardly kosher! You know, while I find their music utterly tedious, I really want to like it because this outfit are so delightfully bereft of any pomposity, pretention or arrogance . . . three epithets that could occasionally (and maybe even with justification) be levelled at UNIT. Oo’er, missus!
My Dreams Are Haunted By Basil Wolverton’s Creatures
The dual vocalists spend much of the time simply repeating the title of the piece while the drum machine and guitar grind away interminably with occasional interjections from that crazy trumpet. This bunch must rank among the most eccentric of all the godspunk contributors over the years . . . and that’s saying something.
 - DJ Sid James
Look, anyone who names himself after the most entertaining character in Hancock’s Half Hour (a popular British radio comedy broadcast from 1954 to 1959) is inevitably destined to receive a sympathetic review from me.
Theme
After a splendid introduction from an American compère we have a repeated sample taken from a Radio 4 or BBC television quiz programme - which places us firmly in the 1960s - over a break beat that gives us a double bass and sampled drums which places firmly in the 21st century - very odd yet strangely effective. It culminates in that famous Sid James cackle. Splendid.
Nonce Killa
In the name of God, this is so profoundly disturbing, it is almost impossible to find the words required to offer any cogent response. The opening prelude features a vile male pervert engaged in a telephone conversation with a little girl, the content of which is almost painful to hear. Look, I qualified as a youth worker in 1982. I spent much of the 1980s investigating and exposing child molesters as well as youth workers who sought to indoctrinate children with their repugnant Marxist ideology . . . so this track affects me more profoundly than I can describe adequately. There follows a sudden eruption of electronic chaos, a depiction (to my mind) of utter white hot fury that effectively and accurately portrays my own mental state after that horrible telephone dialogue that introduces the piece. Sonically, think Throbbing Gristle at their most extreme, Whitehouse, The Nocturnal Emissions or Nurse With Wound. The final quote from the closing section of those Bugs Bunny cartoons (that’s all folks) adds a painfully poignant postlude to the affair. This is beyond doubt one of the most powerful contributions ever made to any godspunk collection ever. I had to listen to it again just to be certain . . . and yes, I stand by my statement. After Theme with its gentle humour, nothing prepared me for this tumultuous onslaught. I used to award marks out of 10 for each piece but I’ve relinquished the practise because it isn’t fair on contributors who create music I don’t actually like, despite its valid qualities . . . but if I did still award marks then this would definitely rank a firm 10 out of 10.
Swallow Your Soul
Thud thump thud thump thud thump . . . for ages and ages . . . or so it seems. I quickly become impatient for something else to happen besides that thumping drum machine. A pitch lowered voice intones ‘swallow your soul’ with interminable repetition. Christ this is so ineffably boring I’m driven to distraction . . . and it drags on for over 6 minutes! What can I say in its favour? This: if you played me Theme, Nonce Killa and Swallow Your Soul in succession, I’d be convinced 3 separate contributors were responsible; I’d never suspect they were the work of the same artist/s. This provides adequate proof of the sheer range of styles and idioms this artist / these artists are able to investigate in a convincing manner.
UK Drill Music
What the authorities bleat about grime and drill is depressingly similar to the hysterical reaction to punk rock 4 decades earlier. This piece with its minimal, almost deliberately simplistic drum and bass figure exemplifies the furore as sampled radio discussions reveal the duplicity of commentators who seek to pass judgement on a culture about which they know nothing. These white, middle class Guardian- reading do-gooders sound even more ridiculous when placed in this context. I’d like their voices to be more prominent in the mix so we can point and laugh at them properly. 10 out of 10 for addressing this topic, lads. Top hole!
Yorkshire Tea
‘Most of all - do it for Yorkshire!’ I think instantly of Geoff Boycott . . . but then as a fan of cricket and a keen cricketer myself, I would, wouldn’t I? (Yes, I’m a left arm spin bowler, since you ask.) Ye gods, what’s this all about though? We have an almost punk rock drum machine pattern and nothing else while a miserable Yorkie babbles away over the top of it . . . until near the end when the beat changes to a hip hot rhythm. The pre-recorded voice renders an account of his dalliance with a prostitute which frankly I can do without but ey oop, lad, it’s all milling through the grinder, grinding through the (trouble at) mill.
 - Dr Awkward
Every previous contribution from Dr Awkward has provided material of interest. Even on tracks that don’t appeal to me, never do I find them boring. I notice all 3 tracks feature a suggestion of a science fiction theme - that’s new. Note: Dr Awkward is one of those chaps whose work cannot be judged purely on the strength of 1 or 2 tracks. I invite listeners to check out his contributions to previous godspunk collections in order to appreciate the range of styles and idioms he offers.
Overstellar Interdrive
My only complaint about this piece is its brevity . . . which is a compliment, of course, since it reveals my desire to hear more of it. A cimbalom phrase is repeated now and then over a swirling synthesiser figure that twists, turns, slithers and grumbles in stark contrast to the folk element suggested by the cimbalom, a Hungarian instrument favoured by Zoltan Kodaly in some of his orchestral works, most notable Hary Janos. The title is an allusion to a piece by . . . er . . . Hawkwind or Pink Floyd, one of those dreary 3rd division outfits, the original being Interstellar Overdrive methinks.
Low Oxygen Levels
The previous Dr Awkward track was 1’02” duration . . . so is this. 2 guitars (simple slide figures) in left and right prance across the soundscape provided by a minimalistic (possibly) synthesiser accompaniment all in the same key. It provides an oddly pleasant interlude between the other tracks. Actually the best way to experience the work of Dr Awkward is to listen to all his tracks in succession, almost as if they form a suite of related pieces.
Cyber Nought
This piece is also 1’02” in duration. Consider the complexity of our piece The 613 Mitzvot. Now compare that to this piece with its repeated 3 note phrase on a synthesiser and not much else. This diminishes in volume when it is gradually consumed by swirling wind . . . and then it’s over. I want to hear what happens next. Dr Awkward is indeed rather . . . erm . . . awkward. The reason I compare this to our work is that while the complexity (harmonic and rhythmic changes etc) of our piece is impressive, so too is the simplicity of this work which I contend makes just as much impact, for all my keyboard kerfuffle. My only complaint is its brevity.
 - Fat Midget
Here is another outfit totally new to me and, I believe, to godspunk, too. [Actually, they featured on volume twenty-three - Ed].
Short Break
Ye gods, this is powerful . . . at least for the first 90 seconds. Oh, all right, so yes, it is very 1990s but so what? This is acid rave for the 21st century. A garage / jungle drum sample serves as a foundation for some powerful keyboard work to which a sampled voice is added. The repeated three note phrase does become slightly repetitive after a while although the voices detract from any possibility of boredom. Again, I’d like the vocals louder in the mix. Still, this woke me up after the gentle meditation of the Large Veiny Members track.
Apprehensive Listening
A drum and bass / jungle break beat accompany much Cynthia Size A bleeps and warbling plus sampled voices in this heavy duty dance number whose various sonic strands ought not to gel . . . yet they do. This is the taurus board on amphetamine sulphate and from me that is a high compliment indeed. This is even better (in my biased opinion) than Short Break, primarily because the music has more changes and is not nearly so repetitive. Maybe it out-stays its welcome after 3 minutes . . . maybe it doesn’t. The performance is as tight as a Scottish wallet, sharp and crisp with power and vitality. Oh yes, Fat Midget is in da house!
Science Sermon
Suddenly we are flung into a drum and bass drum sample splattered with synthesiser sounds and a menacing keyboard figure. The sampled voice (an American science teacher renders a basic introduction to the solar system) needs to be clearer and louder . . . so there. That told ‘em. Then a grumbling keyboard enters to add a further aura of malice. The sudden break in the music with just a single keyboard adding occasional stabs is unexpected . . . then the initial keyboard returns and the music gradually resumes its malevolent mien which, given the inoffensive nature of the science lecture, is highly incongruous. I think I enjoy this the most out of their 3 contributions and I sincerely hope they submit further tracks to future godspunk collections.
 - Infected Youth
Darkness Of Insane Insight
Drums, bass guitar and guitar plod along in a slightly repetitive march - a sad parade - over which a solitary voice (possibly sampled) intones a text which really ought to be far more prominent in the mix. This is an exercise in fatalism, a tired epitaph that follows Broken Humans like a deliberate response. The lead guitar figure that enters half way through only exaggerates the doom laden mien of the piece. Oh but I really wish that voice was louder and clearer so we could hear what he’s saying. I catch the phrase ‘repressed hostility’ at the end which could be a summation of the entire piece.
Delusional Reason Shattered
Filigree guitar figures are sprinkled over a driving bass guitar and drum pattern that I find slightly repetitive although this is alleviated somewhat by the occasional rhythmic changes here and there. The (probably) sampled spoken vocal, like its predecessor, is murky and indistinct so it needs to be clearer and louder in the mix, for my ears anyway. It’s a pity this music stays locked in the same key since clearly all the players are technically competent and have not the slightest doubt they could easily play music that is more adventurous harmonically. I think the piece might sound better if that voice was omitted with, in its stead, a more powerful production given to the instruments.
 - Magic Bullet
I Want More Toys
There’s a definite early 1980s Fad Gadget / Mute Records ambience to this with its pouting female vocal, buzzing keyboard figures and Woolworths own brand drum machine. I love the sound of that vocalist! Based on this piece alone I hope Magic Bullet provide further contributions to godspunk collections.
Knott End On Sea
The fuzzy keyboard and swirling synthesiser sounds over a very 1980s drum machine sound support vocal interjections that really do need to be clearer - more treble and louder in the mix. After a while the piece does become slightly repetitive although this is addressed nicely when the music changes key for a while but, for me, it does not have quite the same impact as their other contribution here. We need more Twizz on their tracks!
 - Proud Fuckoo Band
Suicide
Here we go - a slow, plodding punkesque slightly reggae infused dirge replete with reverb drowned guitar introduces a sodden slab of punk rock. Oh Christ, I cannot tolerate this muck. There’s nothing wrong with the music - if you like this kind of idiom. It does have a (sort of) Public Image flavour but instead of Johnny Rotten we have pStan giving it large with more vitriol and venom than that tedious old bastard from The Sucks Pastilles could ever muster. The lyric is so depressing! Come on, pStan - cheer up, lad. God this is horrible! If you like punk rock then you’ll probably enjoy this immensely.
Through The Rainbow
The grumbling shambling crawling chaos of punk rockery continues its relentless assault on my long suffering ears. To the fuzztone guitar, bass guitar and drums is added (I think) an electric organ . . . but here, for the first time, we have a purely instrumental work from this bunch. Ye gods, what a racket!
Gimp Gash
Acid Spice
Indistinct telephone voices introduce the piece which suddenly erupts with a heavy house beat strictly from the 1990s (and that is not a criticism, by the way) to which keyboards are soon added plus vocal snippets here and there. This music stops and starts which prevents the listener from relaxing into the groove. It’s a highly disturbing but most effective device by which to retain our attention. Suddenly a pair of flutes enter - totally unexpected - in a kind of 1970s jazz mood. What? Then the 1990s house music returns with a vengeance. What a strangely appealing piece this is! If this was played in a night club, the dancers would fall over and break their ankles . . . groovy.
 - The Large Veiny Members
Like Nil By Nose and UNIT, this bunch are regular contributors to godspunk and their strange, often surreal contributions are invariably welcome even when (or perhaps because) they mess with my mind. Note: this is one of those outfits whose work cannot be judged purely on the strength of 1 or 2 tracks. I invite listeners to check out their contributions to previous godspunk collections in order to appreciate the range of styles and idioms they offer.
The Edge Of My Forget
A gentle rhythm like a drum machine in imitation of water droplets treads softly under blurred, indistinct synthesiser sounds that only gradually move into focus as the piece progresses. This work is far more subtle, restrained and introspective than many of their other previous contributions to godspunk which reveals how varied their work can be. I find this drags on for far too long but I imagine this piece looped to play for around 30 minutes in which case it might provide a relaxed alpha wave inducing soundscape with healing properties . . . perhaps. Ye gods I sound pretentious - sorry about that.
 - Jan Nesser
Here is another contributor totally new to me and, I believe, to godspunk, too.
Crystal Avenue
Ah, here we go - Euro-trash synthesiser-driven electro-pop at its best. This would go down a storm in the clubs. It compensates for the absence of the taurus board on this collection with its driving beat, stuttering electronic stabs and warbling keyboard phrases. This is really very good indeed, especially because there are enough changes during its course never to become repetitive. Instruments drop out then return later, often with new accompaniments. For me this is one of the best tracks on offer here.
 - factor X
Here is another outfit totally new to me and, I believe, to godspunk, too.
the frog & the raven
With my passion for ornithology, I definitely favour the raven over the frog. A solo voice introduces this strangely recorded piece, as if the instruments play in the next room behind a partially closed door while the singer performs in front of us. Another vocalist sounds as if he’s in the other room with the instrumentalists . . . a disconcerting effect. This proves recording studios, while useful, are not essential. Then again for all I know, perhaps this was recorded in a studio. It sounds decidedly odd anyway. My initial reaction is that I’d like to hear this piece recorded ‘properly’ with a professional studio production . . . but then surely we would lose the strangely disconcerting effect that makes this piece so memorable. I cannot discern most of the words on this which is unfortunate. What I can detect leads me to believe the lyric is rather intriguing.
 - Nil By Nose
Like The Large Veiny Members and UNIT, this bunch are regular contributors to godspunk and their usually brief and generally bizarre contributions are, like those of The Large Veiny Members, invariably welcome even when (or perhaps because) they mess with my mind. Note: Like The Large Veiny Members and Dr Awkward, this is one of those chaps whose work cannot be judged purely on the strength of 1 or 2 tracks. I invite listeners to check out his contributions to previous godspunk collections in order to appreciate the range of styles and idioms he offers.
What Would You Say To Them?
However, not all the tracks by Nil By Nose are brief. This is nearly 6 minutes, for instance. Musically this is very similar to the kind of sonic soundscapes Colin Murrell created in the early 2000s prior to joining UNIT. The disparate electronic sounds on display here very gradually evolve and develop as the piece progresses. It is largely extremely slow (almost static) and rather quiet. The changes are generally subtle. A 2 note phrase at the start mutates as its sound is treated until the original pitches are destroyed entirely - to give just one example. Listen to this piece as background noise while you’re doing something else and it will sound like so much electronic faffing about . . . but listen to it intently, especially through headphones, and all those different textures reveal themselves. This is not rambling chaos - there is a structure here but it is subtle. For instance, that opening 2 note phrase returns, albeit in slightly modified form but there are other hints at a shape that only become apparent on 3rd or 4th hearing. In all its 5’58” it is never boring or repetitive. I think this might just be the very best work I’ve ever heard from them / him. Very impressive.
 - AWARE
On the previous occasion AWARE provided a contribution, I raved about their work - they play my kind of jazz!
End of Max (take seven)
A playful duet between trombone and saxophone dances over occasional percussion interjections from drum and tambourine. It ought not to work but (for me anyway) it most definitely does. Think mid sixties Sun Ra only more so. Now, I am biased, obviously, because this is my kind of jazz and I realise certain more timid or conservative souls will wince and find this extremely irritating. Fair enough, I suppose. Each to his own. However, this is the kind of soundscape one often used to encounter on Resonance 104.4 FM circa 2005, before they mutated into a pop music station. Ah, nostalgia isn’t what it was.
End of Max (take four)
Trombone in its lowest register . . . marimba sprinkles high notes here and there . . . guitar playing low pitches . . . saxophone warbles gaily . . . then after 2 minutes, percussion is added and this prompts the trombone to protest indignantly while the sax wails with blissful indifference. Then, unexpected, there’s a brief vocalise before the marimba returns to bring the piece to a delightful close. I thoroughly recommend you listen to all 3 takes of Max in succession, in any order, for the full experience. My one complaint is the ‘boxy’ sound - it was evidently recorded live in a small room rather than a recording studio which is a shame but perhaps this apparent limitation might just add to the overall effect, like the sound on some of those late 1950s Sun Ra albums.
End of Max (take eight)
A strong clarinet figure leaps and cavorts over a vocalise and (what sounds like) a synthesiser or electronic sounds. Then again, maybe it is a vocalist singing through a reverb / delay pedal. This is the longest of the AWARE tracks and, for me, the most intriguing. As I listen to this I am reminded strongly of Five Or Six, the early 80s avant garde outfit that morphed into The Shock Headed Peters a couple of years later. This does not sound remotely similar to the 7th or 4th takes of End Of Max. Indeed, it could easily be a different ensemble entirely. Ye gods I am impressed by this group.
 - UNIT
We spent days and days trying to agree on which tracks to submit to this collection. I insisted The Thylacine be included but otherwise I left the selection to Colin and Keilan. In the event I think their choice is interesting since it provides the old fashioned sound of The Visitors and 1985 with their chunky guitars (both tracks were written in the 1980s) together with what has become our ‘usual’ idiom, assuming we can be said to have a usual idiom.
Three Wretched Richards
A regular feature of our work is our series of tracks derived from a specific subject - children’s homes, birds, abandoned railways, science and history. This is one of our history lessons and it explains why I am such a staunch republican in both the English and American senses of the term. The idiom is a rare foray into cock rock because these 3 monarchs deserve ridiculous music to accompany their loathsome lives. That said, my lyric is vastly superior to my music here!
In Praise Of Charles Martel
Now we have another history lesson. This time the focus is on a character not widely known to most people but who is in fact one of the heroes of western civilisation. Had he and his Frankish troops failed in their endeavours, much of Europe would have suffered the ignominy of Islamic rule for many decades . . . and we can imagine what that would have meant to all decent, intelligent people, be they Christian or Jewish.
The Visitors
I wrote this humorous little frolic in 1988, clearly under the influence of 154 era Wire. Note: I am absolutely certain this planet has never been visited by aliens from other worlds. Indeed I am convinced we are (probably) alone in the universe and for a very simple reason: there does not exist any evidence anywhere that extra-terrestrial intelligent life is present. In fact there isn’t much intelligent life on Earth, either. The music adopts our old fashioned idiom because I didn’t believe the piece could be improved by giving it a 21st century arrangement. Keilan actually quotes a Wire song in one of his guitar parts . . . see if you can spot it.
The 613 Mitzvot
The 613 mitzvot present a conundrum to all Jews everywhere. It is virtually impossible to honour every one of these commandments because some of them can only be acted upon if you live in Israel while others can only be obeyed if you are a king or queen. Daft I call it. This instrumental work is my depiction of a man or woman who attempts to honour as many of the mitzvot as possible - he / she fails, naturally - but the music is raised higher and higher in the heavenly worlds as a direct consequence of the effort. In other words, all 3 of us found this piece extremely difficult to perform. Is the result worth the curses, tantrums and screaming abdabs that accompanied our constant false starts, errors, mistakes and failed attempts? You decide.
The Thylacine
In 2022 on YouTube I watched a grainy monochrome film of Benjamin, the final thylacine (marsupial wolf), who died of old age on 7th September, 1936, in Hobart Zoo. I could scarcely contain my rage. In that moment I totally empathised with pStan’s histrionic vituperative fury against humanity . . . and it took me barely a day to complete the music for this track. However, it required many days for us to hone the music into its final form. I could not find any recordings of the actual sounds of thylacines, which were generally silent or very quiet anyway, so I utilised wolf howls instead. Their mournful, bleak and lonely sounds were entirely appropriate for this work which I rank among the very best pieces I have ever composed . . . so there. Question: is the thylacine actually extinct? Well, the jury remains undecided. There have been occasional alleged sightings of the animal in the western forests of Tasmania yet these remain bereft of any substantive proof. It is the only marsupial wolf in existence although, despite its dog-like appearance, it is not actually a relative of the canine family, just as the Panda is not actually a bear.
1985
I wrote this work in 1983 when I was 16. The original lyric was woefully inept and failed to do justice to the music. By the end of the decade I alighted upon a text that finally matched the music but alas we never made a decent recording of it . . . until now. Yes, it sounds old fashioned - how could it not, considering when it was written? Yet I am still rather proud of it. Since you ask, yes, Oliver Cromwell remains my favourite historical character, followed closely by Chiu Sugihara, the Japanese clerk who in 1940 rescued over 6,000 Jews from persecution by issuing exit visas to every Jewish man and woman who applied for them. I urge readers to type his name into a search engine and read his incredible story.

Oh how I wish the taurus board and Data’s Cat had contributed to this edition, despite the wealth of varied material on offer here. At this juncture it is customary for me to select my 3 favourite tracks . . . so here goes.
1 Nonce Killa by DJ Sid James with DJ Derek From Starbucks
2 Psychopomps by Howl in the Typewriter
3 The Thylacine by UNIT
However, if it is somewhat egregious for me to select one of our own tracks then replace it with either of these tracks. I cannot decide between them so they both occupy the No.3 slot.
3) Apprehensive Listening by Fat Midget
3) Crystal Avenue by Jan Nesser

Please include in this review my sincere gratitude to Rabbi David Brandes of Whitechapel Synagogue for his patience. He typed this whole review for me while I sat here with a mug of tea, a couple of cigarettes and a bottle of Jack Daniels bourbon scotch and dictated my diatribes for each track featured. I did invite him to offer his own reactions to the tracks but he declined. Like me, he is a classical music fan and therefore probably thinks at least 90% of this project is utterly bonkers . . . which it is, of course. That’s why it’s so groovy. 

 - Review by Carl (Nil by Nose, The Large Veiny Members), 19th Jan 2023
Disc one
Antivirus - Howl in the Typewriter. This first track grabs you by the collars and pulls you into the compilation - it gave me vibes of Frank Zappa making breakcore.
Devo Tried To Warn Us - Food Fortunata. This has a gloriously lo-fi feel - it made me think of tapes that came with 'zines in the late 80s.
Three Wretched Richards - UNIT. History made fun by UNIT. I could see Horrible Histories stealing this!
End of Max - AWARE. Something skronky comes this way!
Theme - DJ Sid James. Nice little loopy ting.
Overstellar Interdrive - Dr. Awkward. Is this the theme to the lost sci-fi sequel to Get Carter?
Boris Blows his Bugle - Howl in the Typewriter. Is this the voice of a future Jacob Rees-Mogg regaling tall tales of his fave Tory . . ?
The Edge Of My Forget - The Large Veiny Members. Dave and I have not been jamming as much as we used to, I think we need to get a few more jams in before godspunk volume twenty-five!
Short Break - Fat Midget. I want to hear this track loud while slightly cold and vaguely starry eyed in a field.
King Tut Gave Me A High Five - Food Fortunata. Great wonky caterpillar beat and uncomfortable trumpet. 
I Want More Toys - Magic Bullet featuring Twizz. Love this track - I want to see it performed live with strobe lighting.
In Praise Of Charles Martel - UNIT. More history from UNIT. I went to a Blyth Power festival, I think that crowd would super-dig UNIT’s historical material.
Nonce Killa - DJ Sid James. The intro of this makes me super uncomfortable which makes the electro noise part of the track a lot more palatable.
Broken Humans - Howl in the Typewriter. pStan gets epic and grandiose. I visualise the music video of this being done in the style of Jodorowski’s Dune.
Darkness Of Insane Insight - Infected Youth. In a darkened subterranean venue, Infected Youth are playing with their backs turned to an audience . . .
Acid Spice - Gimp Gash. I do not think I would be able to get into the Berghain Club in Berlin, but I think there might be a hidden room playing this to people dressed in black and in the midst of a 34-hour chemical adventure.
Suicide - Proud Fuckoo Band. Is this the Butthole Surfers / Ozric Tentacles collaboration that you did not realise you wanted to hear?
Crystal Avenue - Jan Nesser. After the last track this one really makes me feel like I am wandering around a festival walking into the rave tent.
873741 - Food Fortunata. I feel like I might have seen Food Fortunata at the 1999 Wilmington Exchange Fest. Post-Devo pre-Ween fun times!
Swallow Your Soul - DJ Sid James. Drinking Club-Mate and vodka in Berlin after being refused entry to Berghain leads you here. You are surrounded by sweating gurning shaven-headed people.
Six Legs of the CovenAnt - Howl in the Typewriter. Led Zeppelin demo before it got over produced.
Low Oxygen Levels - Dr. Awkward. Ambient blues?
The Visitors - UNIT. I never imagined that UNIT could make a Britpop track . . . but then I guess I have an imagination that is lacking!
Apprehensive Listening - Fat Midget. Big beat dubstep without going the usual route. I need to hear this with proper sub-bass bins!
Twice Around the Sun - Howl in the Typewriter. There is something about this that reminds me of New Order, without it sounding like New Order or me really knowing what New Order sound like. I think it is the space between.
Disc two
New Strange - Howl in the Typewriter. There is something comfortable about this track, like it is a song I knew a long time ago but forgot about.
What Would You Say To Them? - Nil by Nose. This was not going to be my original track for godspunk volume twenty-four, but I enjoyed making it. (Probably best listened to with headphones).
The 613 Mitzvot - UNIT. A lost-in-a-deranged-fairground instrumental. I liked the middle part which feels like wandering through a hall of mirrors. 
End of Max - AWARE. Due to technical difficulties your scheduled programme was replaced by an experimental Polish cartoon.
At Last I Am Born - Food Fortunata. I would like to support Food Fortunata.
Stop Criminalising U.K. Drill Music - DJ Sid James. Ambient Newscasting.
Out of Step - Howl in the Typewriter. pStan’s vocal sits in a very interesting area within the sonic landscape of this track. It is pretty disorientating.
We’re The Bullet From Knott End-On-Sea - Magic Bullet. I can imagine Australian Sharpies dancing to this.
Delusional Reason Shattered - Infected Youth. Back to the darkened subterranean venue; Infected Youth still have their backs to the audience, but for this song some extraordinarily bright white lights are shone at the audience.
Cyber Naught - Dr. Awkward. Gary Numan sits alone in a vacuum.
The Thylacine - UNIT. I think I will have to listen to this on headphones, I can hear some interesting stereo action happening. Rumours have it there may be still a few Tasmanian Wolves in the wild!
Through the Rainbow - Proud Fuckoo Band. This track made me visualise being knocked out and carried through dwarves crystal mines.
Hot Dog For Dinner Instead - Food Fortunata. This track reminds me of one of my fave 7inch singles: TUOB, Don’t Fight At Gigs.
The Downturn - Howl in the Typewriter. I wish I had heard this in sensory rooms, rather than pan pipes and whale music.
Science Sermon - Fat Midget. This made me dance around the sitting room!
the frog & the raven - factor X. Outsider otherworldliness. It has the vibes of something you might hear drifting from the kitchen of a restaurant anytime the waiter opens the kitchen door. 
Angels - Howl in the Typewriter. This lulls you into a hypnotic state then pokes you a bit. 
1985 - UNIT. I love the variety of UNIT tracks, all so different yet totally UNIT. This is them in spiky punk mode. (Andy, you really should try to get to play at Blyth Power Ashes sometime).
Yorkshire Tea - DJ Sid James. Real tough guy chat on the phone, but it still escalated!
My Dreams Are Haunted By Basil Wolverton’s Creatures - Food Fortunata. I do hope this band have costumes when they perform!
Psychopomps - Howl in the Typewriter. Hey pStan has this one got a video? [Not yet - Ed]
End of Max - AWARE. In an unknown temple hooded figures sway through joss stick smoke. Is it ritual or is it fun? Only the hooded figures truly know.
Puppet and Bleep - Howl in the Typewriter. I really like the floppy drum sound that whooped through this track giving a tribal feel without going organic.
I really enjoy the variety of godspunk compilations - I am really proud to be part of them. Each compilation has its own vibe; this one had a real feel of being a festival, each track felt like walking into a different venue tent never really knowing what you were going to find.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 12th March 2022
The artwork: what can I say that avoids repetition from previous godspunk volumes? The standard is generally very high or, if technically . . . er . . . eccentric, it is still clever, colourful or both. Certainly our own pages appear remarkably conservative by comparison. However, this is a topic that merits emphasis: godspunk collections would lose a significant segment of their impact if they were issued purely as, say, mp3 files bereft of the artwork. The art that accompanies the tracks (even our own sober pages of texts) is usually an essential component and warrants equal attention to the music and soundscapes heard on the actual discs. I’d like to see a volume of godspunk devoted entirely to art and text alone with not a single sound file involved anywhere. Mind you, in that instance, radio play might be somewhat limited.
dr. awkward - excruciation lamentation
My favourite parts of this brief piece are the start and finish, i.e. when that guitar is absent. It plays one chord - thunk thunk thunk (pause) thunk thunk thunk (pause) although distorted echoes of it weave themselves through the soundscape to prevent too much monotony. Heard through speakers it is mildly interesting; heard through headphones it is much more effective. 6/10
dr. awkward - crepuscular contusion
An electronic drum pattern accompanies a guitar based theme under which there’s a bass guitar or bass part on a keyboard that really does need to be louder in the mix (you can never have enough bass, in my opinion). This, like its predecessor, is 1 minute 2 seconds in duration. 3/10
dr. awkward - granite ingrate
This, like its companions, is only 1 minute 2 seconds in duration. Rhythms and beats are absent now; all that remains are a couple (or more) of Cynthia Size A’s drifting in and out of focus between left and right. After this I listened to all 3 tracks as a single entity (in the order excruciation, granite and crepuscular) and found the effect remarkably enhanced. I wonder why that should be. 4/10
Awkward Geisha with Loopee - Clean
21st century rap with attitude and a slight suggestion of avant gardening is what we have here and I like it! BUT oh how I wish that vocal was LOUDER. His words deserve to be heard. Ideally I’d like the keyboards slightly louder in the mix, too, with the drums a little quieter. However, even with this mix, the strangely ambivalent mood remains throughout - it seethes and simmers like a south London street in the 1980s when you know something is due to kick off any second. 8/10
Awkward Geisha with Gimp Gash - Memoir of a Horny Abortionist
Yes, with such a title I can see why pStan elected to place this before our track The Unwanted. There are primarily 2 elements to this terrifying aural assault: a cold, clinical American voice giving a commentary on an abortion although it’s difficult to discern much of the text because his voice is usually submerged underneath the second element, a crushing blue grey blast of sheer Whitehousian noise that continues almost throughout the entirety of this track. To render the piece even more painful, there is a suggestion of a high screaming voice almost subsumed under the other noise - the voice of the mother or the voice of the unborn child? Only right at the end does the fearful cacophony come to an abrupt halt and that cold, clinical voice informs us ‘the abortion is complete’. This is beyond any shadow of a doubt one of the more memorable and definitely most powerful tracks of godspunk volume twenty-three. If pStan and his pals ever decide to compile a ‘godspunk greatest hits 2002 - 2022’ collection, this piece ought to be on it. 10/10
Awkward Geisha with Smell & Quim - Toxic Cock Syndrome
Right then, here we take what is basically the main ‘noise’ component of Memoir of a Horny Abortionist and then do something different with it. There are abrupt interruptions to this wall of absolute cacophony . . . but never for long. My God, this outfit takes not a single prisoner. No, I’ll amend that - they do take prisoners - you, the listeners - then inflict upon you this brutal barrage of noise that assaults you in the bass, middle and treble frequencies simultaneously so there is nowhere to which you can escape or seek refuge. Then there’s this: at over 6 minutes, it is the 2nd longest track on this compilation, beaten only by the 4D Gonk. If this really is a celebration of sexual activity then I am immensely grateful I am celibate. Beyond doubt the most extreme and profoundly uncompromising track of the collection, this is not the piece to select if you want to try to convince your Ariana Grande loving teenage daughter that godspunk is where it’s at! 8/10
Gimp Gash - I’m Stalking You And If You Ever Try To Leave Me, I’ll Kill You
An electronic beat plus digital keyboard chords offer a suggestion of 1980s synthipop but a gently crooning female vocal, often in a different metre and different key to this music, creates an oddly malevolent juxtaposition which only appears to form a degree of unity over half way into the piece when a guitar enters and she begins to speak / sing as if, with reluctance, she concedes the existence of the music that accompanies her. Very odd . . . very odd indeed. 4/10
Gimp Gash - Daddy Let Me Play With Your Big End
The young woman featured on this piece sings one of the most vile and frankly obscene lyrics I’ve heard for many years. However, it is only vile and obscene if we take the word ‘Daddy’ to imply some form of incestuous liaison between a girl and her father. If the word ‘Daddy’ is used in its slang sense (as in ‘cool, daddy-o’) then it becomes a simple celebration of lust and the delight to be found in sexual pleasure. The distinction never made clear! The power here is provided not by a wall of sound (as with Awkward Geisha + pals) , an army of guitars (as with Spam Javelin) or even difficult chord progressions and compound metres (as with UNIT) but with stark simplicity: an unaccompanied voice sung in a space that sounds like a tiled room . . . a bathroom perhaps. 8/10
Nil by Nose - Liminal Space
An airport announcer is gradually submerged by waves of electronic sounds that ebb and flow, advance and recede over bass notes that barely hold this ambient soundscape together. Whenever I see ‘Nil by Nose’ credited to a track, I am alert and interested instantly because their work, while often perplexing to the point of occasional irritation, is NEVER BORING and that is what matters. This track is, in my no doubt thoroughly biased opinion, one of their most effective because it paints a sonic picture in my mind. I see a deserted airport, cracks and craters in the weed strewn runway, the wreck of a Boeing 747 in the distance and the sound of that announcer, a ghostly echo from the past. Through speakers or headphones, this is superb. 9/10
Nil by Nose - Deep Space Radio
Now we pilot a rescue craft given the task of locating a space capsule adrift in orbit around a distant asteroid. We find the capsule but either it is empty or the crew have died in some unknown catastrophe; only the distorted sound of their radio can be heard as fragments of their last messages home are heard crackling through our speakers. This is a companion (musically) to Liminal Space although I don’t find this nearly as effective . . . not sure why. 5/10
Nil by Nose - Awash
Here we have our 3rd instalment of NbN replete with gentle, almost ethereal keyboards and what might be a banjo or ukulele (or a sample of it) all based loosely around 2 alternating chords. Yes it’s ‘nice’ in a non-confrontational manner but it doesn’t quite make the grade somehow. 3/10
Breathilizör - Bean Burrito of Toilet Sludge Miasma
Heavy metal with a punk rock production. I suspect if this had a nice glossy Metallica studio varnish, it would not be nearly as effective. This bunch, together with Spam Javelin and Proud Fuckoo Band, form a terrible triumvirate whose searing guitars, thundering bass guitar and thudding drums could probably lay flat most buildings in a decent sized town. 3/10
Breathilizör - Deafness of Old Ones’ Prey
More heavy metal with a punk rock production. I really do find this tedious (although this is hardly a fault of the band, of course - I simply don’t like this idiom) and the screaming ‘singer’ definitely irritates me. Mind you, his vocal might sound more effective on some of our more raucous pieces than my own feeble whine. 1/10
Breathilizör - Mastication of Death
This is a splendid exercise in controlled guitar feedback interrupted by occasional heavy metal riffs accompanied by the obligatory vocal style the idiom demands. I like this because it takes the clichés of heavy metal then subverts them. There’s 3 times as much guitar feedback as there is actual music in the piece and even though usually I find that vocal style really annoying, here it only seems to emphasise the surreal nature of the piece. 6/10
Proud Fuckoo Band - We the Animal
More punk rock to follow Breathilizör. Christ, what a bloody awful racket! You wait till your father comes home; I’ll tell him what a dreadful noise you’ve been making and then we’ll see what’s what. Look at poor Mrs Bean’s chrysanthemums next door - they’ve all wilted and withered. I blame those dreadful Yanks, Breathilizör or whatever they’re called - I bet they put you up to this. We never made such a fearful cacophony when I was your age. Bleeding typical. I dunno . . . young people today. 3/10
Proud Fuckoo Band - A Picnic for 7
Now this is ‘future punk’ surely. There are hardly any instruments on this (at least not in the conventional sense) other than a fragmentary piano part but it is the vocal that retains our attention with its old fashioned (but endearing) celebration of anarchism in action. Due to its unusual format and strange sound (which verges on the avant garde), a definite departure from their other tracks, this creates a nice contrast and that lyric is splendid, too. 5/10
Proud Fuckoo Band - Sunday Night Prison
Ah, this is what we expect from this bunch - jangly distorted guitars leading a thudding bass guitar and clattering drums. It’s all far too close to punk rock for me, of course, but the lyric is good fun and there are 4 or 5 occasions when the vocalist sounds very much like John Cooper Clarke (one of my favourite poets). 3/10
Spam Javelin - Arseholageddon
Keilan loves this . . . which means I find it utterly tedious, of course. A savage slice of hardcore punk rock no less. If this bunch headlined at a gig with Breathilizör and Proud Fuckoo Band, President Putin would simply hold up his hands and surrender rather than be forced to endure any more. Mind you, for those of you out there who actually like hardcore punk rock with a deep, growling sound, this will definitely hit the spot. Me? I’m outa here and fast! 5/10
Spam Javelin - Grief Whore
There are just 3 chords to this 34 second stab of hardcore punk rock. If I wanted to be cruel I could say this sounds very 1980s but then they could point (and perhaps laugh) at UNIT and say we sound very 1970s and I’d have to shuffle my feet awkwardly, aware I was obliged to accept the rebuke. As I stated on their previous number, if you like American hardcore punk rock and want to hear it performed and recorded at its very best then I suspect this makes the grade . . . but since I loathe and detest punk rock, heavy metal and country ‘n’ western, I am not qualified to give an expert opinion, am I? 2/10
Spam Javelin - Urban Guerrilla
Hey, we recorded a version of this splendid Hawkwind number (originally recorded in 1973) whereas ours attempted to explore the sonic territory of the track, here we are given a fast paced punk rock account of it yet they manage to retain the busy bass guitar line and provide variety with a central section that is imaginative and inventive. Thus they make the track not so much a ‘cover version’ than a metamorphosis of the original work. I’ll tell you something else, too: these cats can certainly play their instruments! I am convinced Hawkwind members (if any of them are still alive) would favour this account of their track over our arrangement of it. Is this why Hawkwind were the only band from the ‘hippie’ era whom punks treated with respect throughout the 1980s? Come to think of it, I remember acid ravers of the 1990s speaking of Hawkwind with a degree of reverence. There’s no doubt of it - that group managed to span the decades and never fall from favour, regardless of what trends, fads and fashions prevailed at the time. Anyway, I actually enjoyed this frolic because the transformation is so extreme yet still convincing. 7/10
Fat Midget - Yo, Pork Pies and Crisps
Take a robotic break beat that hammers away for a mean minute. Now drag in that punk rock lad from next door, show a handful of angel dust down his throat, turn his guitar up to No.11 and tell him to jam to the beat. It’s a pity this fades out rather than has a proper finish. Again, not my kind of music but for those of you enjoy extreme noise chaos whose purveyors are not acquainted with the words ‘subtle’ or ‘mercy’ then I expect this will do the business nicely. 4/10
The Large Veiny Members - Glancing The Glass Mine
Ah, a nice couple of restrained Hammond organ chords over which is sprinkled a plethora of gently dripping Cynthia Size A sounds dominated by a sharp, pointilistic figure based on a major 9th, sounds promising . . . but, alas, that’s what it does: it promises to develop into something more substantial yet decides to stop instead . . . which is a pity. 5/10
The Large Veiny Members - Chuchotement
Come on, chaps, what sort of title is that? A drum machine, ethereal keyboards all playing their own tempo yet somehow staying together as each chord changes . . . there’s a very slight hint of Hawkwind meets Tangerine Dream here. There - now you can see I am definitely not a teenager, can’t you? Meanwhile, what the devil are you whispering about, Sir? Come along, speak up, lad! Let’s all hear you. Daft I call it. 2/10
The Large Veiny Members - Running The Clockwork Anvil
This really reminds me of early period Cabaret Voltaire - which from me is a high compliment. A restrained electronic beat combines with an atonal keyboard phrase while the ‘anvil’ sound I think is simply a high note jabbed on a keyboard but with a percussive sound. 4/10
Psyched by the 4D Gonk - Beware of the 4D Gonk
Imagine mid 1970s period King Crimson - no, really - and from me that’s a compliment. Add elements of Egg, Flipper and Fugazi at their more adventurous. When the bass guitar enters I find it slightly too low in the mix and I’d prefer a more beefy, deeper sound. The keyboards gradually increase in volume which appears to generate a sudden cessation of the atonal dual guitar figure that dominates the first half of the piece. Now we’ve entered Nurse With Wound meets The Lemon Kittens territory (and yes, from me that’s also a compliment) as extraneous percussion rains down upon the proceedings, under which an organ begins to develop a series of 2 note chords over which those guitars return only now they sound hesitant, distant and certainly bereft of the strident confidence with which they announced the march melodies that commenced this strange adventure. I find this curious sonic journey oddly appealing and it seems far shorter than 6 and a half minutes it actually requires. 8/10
lieutenant caramel - a bird to overhear
Ye gods, this is absolutely bonkers - 4 minutes of extraneous noises and sound effects frequently interrupted by commentary from a slightly psychotic chipmunk who appears utterly indifferent to the sonic chaos that proliferates around him. However, this is not ‘noise’; this is controlled chaos with sufficient space between its disparate strands to allow listeners to discern clearly its component parts. I find this track remarkably appealing because initially it’s rather amusing. I imagine a child’s bedroom in which some of the toys come to life and start to frolic, leap, cavort and caper but as time progresses, we discover these entities are far from benign; we learn they have in fact suffocated the child to death and this chaotic cacophony is their dance of triumph. That is what this piece conjures in my mind . . . horrible . . . fascinating . . . and deeply disturbing. 8/10
Infected Youth - Madness of Delusional Pain
Here’s a slice of heavy rock (with an organ which can’t be bad) and 1970s lead guitar filigree work although, oddly, bereft of drums. There is a vocal but it is whispered and thus it is impossible to discern most of the text. This is a pity because in all other respects, this is a remarkably effective piece although harmonically I do find it rather repetitive after a while. Yes, I really wish that vocal was louder. 5/10
Infected Youth - Despair of Sorrowful Darkness
This is very similar in style, sound and idiom to the other Infected Youth track here. Could that vocalist not have sung on this one rather than whispered the text again? Either keep it as a purely instrumental piece or give us a vocal we can hear. There - now you can see how conservative I am in my musical tastes, at least in this respect. Mind you, there’s nothing amiss with the performance in all other respects. The drums do sound slightly distant, as if they’re played in a separate room but that’s not necessarily a criticism. The guitar picking is mandatory and clearly the work’s strongest feature. It suddenly cuts off at (or before) the end - this is not a fault of the disc apparently; it’s intentional. 6/10
Shaun Robert - ĸouλοφοβία
‘The clowns hang down from the trees, looking down for their prey’. Elements of Nurse With Wound, The Nocturnal Emissions, The Lemon Kittens and even Jazz Funk Greats period Throbbing Gristle inform this strangely malevolent piece. A grumbling 2 note riff forms a refrain to which proceedings frequently return but between these the aural adventure enters all manner of disparate sonic territory but we are never allowed a moment to relax or escape the threat of doom that pervades much of this weird work. 6/10
Shaun Robert & Philippe Blanchard - glee
People digging in the garden . . . saucepans in the kitchen . . . a construction site . . . scissors, knives, spoons and forks . . . a suggestion of synthesisers now and then . . . disembodied voices here and there . . . distant birds . . . an unexpected intrusion of an actual beat enters but is soon interrupted by more extraneous sounds. Electronic manipulation of some of the sounds occurs two thirds of the way into the piece and thus the voices are further fractured and given a mien of menace as a consequence. This is NOT easy listening and it took me a second hearing (through headphones) before I began to appreciate it properly. 7/10
OARGASM - iN rEALITY, tHE dAYLIGHT rOBBERY
This is an extremely complex sound collage that definitely has greater impact when heard through headphones. Ye gods, just how many different samples, sounds, voices and musical extracts are required to construct this magnificent melange? I’d love to create a piece like this but frankly I doubt I’m clever enough to achieve it. Don’t be deceived by its brevity (it’s little over 2 and a half minutes long); this is a highly compact, extremely detailed work that merits repeated listens. 8/10
OARGASM - gIVE mE sALAD
A synthesised recorder introduces this piece, joined by a bass keyboard and followed by a string synthesiser playing the same theme an octave higher . . . then 2 other keyboard sounds join again, again playing the precise same theme . . . so now we have 5 different instruments all playing in unison the same playful little tune . . . then a 6th (an arpeggiated sound) and a 7th (a heavily distorted synth) . . . nothing like rEALITY rOBBERY then . . . no, we’re many miles away from the territory covered by that piece. In fact, if I didn’t know these were both created by the same group or individual, I’d assume the contributors were different people entirely. 6/10
The Doggles - Dogs in America
Well, we’ve had a Gonk, a Goat and plenty of birds so why not give the dogs a voice, too? This is an odd hybrid of a track. Ostensibly it is a 21st century ‘rock’ piece based around a couple of basic chord patterns that, while fairly effective in themselves, would quickly become tedious after a couple of minutes . . . and this piece is more than twice that duration. Interest is retained by the addition of a disembodied (and much too quiet) female voice (or vocalist) who recites, erm, something but the words are impossible for me to decipher - that voice needs to be far more prominent in the mix (for my taste). Then there are the dogs . . . oh yes, real dogs whose voices provide the lead vocals here. It’s all slightly strangely (yet oddly normal) and definitely one of the more accessible among the contributions to this collection. Well, I enjoyed it anyway. 7/10
Jerry & the Kaprikorns - Lil' Brown Envelope
Those of you of a certain age may recall a period in the 1970s when rock groups would include on their albums a long, generally slow piece with a repetitive chorus in it and an excerpt from its final few seconds (often minus the vocals) would appear at the end of the album. That’s what this sounds like: an excerpt from a much longer work. As such it forms a strange companion to its predecessor (Grief Whore by Spam Javelin) especially as it is of similar duration. It’s in 3/4 metre and features gentle filigree guitar work . . . but really not my cup of tea! 3/10
Jerry & the Kaprikorns - Stefan’s Reel
Oh, that’s clever - as our Bird Ballad fades out, birds fade in again and listeners may believe they’re still in the midst of our track but in fact it’s the start of this piece by J & the K’s with another ‘coda’ to a (probably non-existent) longer track. P.S. This is not a reel, it’s a waltz, you goat influenced strange person. 3/10
Dead In Japan - Future Punk
Wasn’t there a 1970s pop group from Liverpool called Big In Japan? Anyway what we have hear is thudding bass drum, a deep rumbling bass (possibly keyboard, possibly bass guitar) and a Cynthia Size A giving it welly with just 2 chords that do become slightly monotonous after a while although variety is provided by the bass and drums dropping out for a few bars. If this is indeed the sound of punk in the future then clearly they’ve not learned any more chords in all those decades. 3/10
Howl in the Typewriter - Mischief! Mischief!
Take a mid 1970s glam rock group, give them a 21st century production and replace their poufy singer with pStan . . . and this is what you have. Tempo changes and shifts in metre rarely offer any respite from the hard and heavy rifferama that informs most of this slab of grunge flavoured grime laid down here. Naturally, I award an extra point for mentioning all 4 of the Telletubbies. 7/10
Howl in the Typewriter - Happy Birthday
A unison dual vocal proclaims this message over a toy electric piano. However, parents please note: you may prefer not to adopt this as the song that announces the arrival of Isaac at his Bar Mitzvah. Indeed, Christian, Moslem, Hindu and atheist parents will also wish to avoid selecting this as a cheap alternative to hiring Uncle Brian to tickle the ivories, unless they really loathe and despise their children. I can think of plenty of people to whom I’d love to sing this little ditty which only proves how really nasty it is, of course. 4/10
Howl in the Typewriter - Blame The Walrus
No, I won’t! You leave that poor walrus alone, you rat bag. I often expect Howl in the Typewriter tracks to contain multiple changes of metre, mood and tempo but this takes the practise to almost extreme levels. There is plenty of heavy rock rifferama on display here (which is not an idiom designed to appeal to the more charitable side of my nature, assuming it even exists - which it probably doesn’t) but what really annoys me is that the text is virtually impossible to discern so it is fortunate he includes the lyric in the booklet. Christ but this is tedious. Sorry, pStan but I find this really dreary and difficult to endure. It needs your strident voice style, its crystal clarity biting across the airwaves with typical acerbic vitriol . . . but then I’m an Oasis fan so what the hell do I know? 2/10
Howl in the Typewriter - Upbeat
Howl in the Banjo . . . and this started so nicely, too . . . but seriously, if it was not for pStan’s voice, you’d be hard pressed to guess the identity of the performer, so different does this sound from the other tracks on offer here. The combination of spiky bass guitar, slide guitar, jangly lead guitar, banjo and subtle percussion makes this a total success (even though normally I despise banjos). This would sound even better without the vocal. Question: does he really feel fantastic? I really hope so but (sigh) given the trials, traumas and tribulation he so often has to endure, I doubt it. Still, maybe I’m wrong about that - I hope so. 8/10
Howl in the Typewriter - Bitrate pSuicide
The first 3 minutes 34 seconds of this are ABSOLUTELY SUPERB. It is excessively rare for pStan to record a track that does not feature vocals or voices in it . . . but then that auld wifey enters in her Teutonic accent to tell us ‘this is what I hear with my ears’ and we’re in familiar territory again, albeit not for long. The majority of this 5 minute opus consists of what I imagine to be pStan, in an even more mushroom cloud laying mood than usual, glaring balefully at 2 of his synthesisers while he wrenches the guts out of each of them, wire by wire, diode by diode, capacitor by capacitor. (Yes, physics, students, I know: if he really did that then the sound would simply shut off but come on, allow us a degree of poetic and artistic licence here.) If that brief intrusion of taped voices hadn’t interrupted the adventure, I’d give it 10 out of 10. That said, this is still one of my favourite Howl in the Typewriter tracks and it merits 9/10.
Howl in the Typewriter - Mr. Angry
Mr. Angry vents his spleen but to surprisingly calm, 1980s style pop music. My response: oh, light up a spliff, take some ecstasy and stop moaning! No, seriously, 80% of the reasons given for being angry I can agree with . . . sympathise and even empathise with . . . because they make me really angry as well. Mind you, the problem here is that our pStan comes perilously close to sounding like that chap off One Foot In The Grave . . . or my gran (which, believe me, is worse). It doesn’t matter - what does matter is that this is beyond any doubt the most clever, witty and finely crafted lyric found on either disc. It is absolutely superb. The music is (sigh) not so impressive. Actually, this might sound even more angry if it was simply read as a poem. 7/10
Howl in the Typewriter - The Walrus Blamed Me
Well, who came blame him for blaming you when it was you who blamed him initially? Poor walrus. Here, have a fish. Better now? No, never you mind about that grumpy git pStan, he’s just peeved because he’s been kept awake by those children next door. I see this and the other ‘walrus’ track as 2 parts of a single entity even though musically this is (to my ears) much more interesting and enjoyable . . . but just how many frigging guitars are there on this? Probably too many. You know what I think of guitars! 6/10
UNIT - Columbia Gem Of The Ocean
Compare our time keeping and instrumental synchronisation with that of some of the other outfits featured on these discs. See what I mean? It is evident (at least to my ears) that we can only barely perform my arrangement of this popular American patriotic song (which also includes quotes from Hail To The Chief, Bringing In The Sheaves, God Bless America and Yankee Doodle Dandy) which threatens to fall apart any second . . . but fortunately we manage to keep it together (but only just) until the end. Note: there is absolutely not the slightest irony intended here. This is my respectful homage to America - not the nation as it now stands, riddled by loony lefties and raddled by socialist scum bags but the nation as envisaged by the Founding Fathers. 7/10
UNIT - The Socialist School Hymn
Imagine if we had a real singer, a proper vocalist with a decent voice (and someone able to pronounce his or her ‘r’ consonants properly). This would be improved immensely. Sadly we are obliged to endure my feeble caterwaul and while I really do try my damnedest to perform the piece with the emotional intensity and passion it merits, it is painfully apparent to anyone who hears this that I’m simply not good enough and there’s an end to it. That said, I’m rather proud of the central hymn. If we ever find ourselves a proper singer with a decent voice, we shall release this again with he or she singing it instead of me! 8/10
UNIT - Free Men Bear Arms
For its text and music this isn’t quite as strong or powerful as most of our other contributions here. In retrospect this might sound better if we’d used a crunchy electric guitar in addition to (or instead of) my faithful Hammond organ, especially in those choruses. 6/10
UNIT - In Praise Of Unsafe Spaces
This ballad is directly inspired by 2 of my favourite people (Ben Shapiro of The Daily Wire - it is his voice you hear at the start - and Will Witt of Prager University) which is perhaps why musically it is one of our more successful ventures. Colin sits out on this one. The limitations of my feeble voice are still apparent, unfortunately, but unlike The Socialist School Hymn and Free Men Bear Arms, the musical idiom is kind to it and I feel less inclined to cringe. 8/10
UNIT - The Unwanted
Despite the apparently gentle restraint of this ballad, I wrote this in a white hot fury. The sound of that fury is adequately represented by Memoir of a Horny Abortionist by Awkward Geisha with Gimp Gash - indeed that expresses my mental rage when I penned this lyric over a period of just 3 days. The music took a little longer and there is a slightly clumsy harmonic bridge between the verses but otherwise we regard this as one of the more effective tracks on our 48th album, The Voice Of Reason, completed late in 2021. 9/10
UNIT - The Peregrines Of Penzance
Inspired by and dedicated to Julie Travis (who lives in Penzance) who is a popular author who specialises in alternative horror stories. She’s also a keen bird watcher, too. When I wrote the extended central section of this, I wasn’t even aware I’d given Colin a 7/4 pattern. These days I find 7/4 a more natural metre than most of the others. To hear it now, I think the piece might benefit from a synthesiser, saxophone or guitar playing a lead melody over that chord progression. I’m not convinced it sounds completely finished . . . but it serves its purpose. 7/10
UNIT - Bird Ballad
Taken from Alone In A Quiet Place, our 49th album, this is (predictably) one of my favourites. For once, my singing isn’t too wretched either. That middle section needs to present a more dramatic contrast to the vocal sections either side of it, ideally. Oh well . . . maybe next time. 8/10
UNIT - Schwanengesang
This is another track from Alone In A Quiet Place. We intended to release it as a single but I thought the text rather too morbid, even with that black humour at the end. For me this is one of our more successful ventures and what I had in my head when I wrote this is very similar to how it sounds now we’ve recorded it. 9/10
UNIT - the taurus board effect
Now, as I don’t appear on this track I am reluctant to be too critical of it, especially as I wrote 80% of the original music. In my opinion, the bass guitar is too quiet and the transitions between a couple of the sections are occasionally clumsy or at least too much like jump cuts in a film but perhaps that was intentional. Most of the time, however, I think the piece works and certainly it does not sound like our group except for specific moments (the classical chord progressions now and then plus the obligatory vibraphone) which is what I originally intended. 7/10
Now for my obligatory note for the benefit of contributors new to godspunk. My marks out of ten are indications of my musical preferences. They are not intended to cast judgement on the musical merits of the tracks concerned. Thus, for example, if I give 2/10 for a piece of punk rock, you know that is because I dislike punk rock intensely. It does not imply the piece itself only deserves 2/10. Marks for the actual content of tracks are neither in my interest nor those of the audience or the contributors themselves. Besides, as a 3rd rate performer myself, who am I to award marks for technical ability? I award these marks so my comments and descriptions can be interpreted with my musical tastes taken into consideration. 
I’m glad Nil by Nose and The Large Veiny Members continue to be regular contributors. An edition of godspunk without them would seem unfinished, incomplete. Also, we are now intrigued to discover what Spam Javelin, Infected Youth, OARGASM and Shaun Robert may have for us should they decide to make contributions to godspunk volume twenty-four. Keilan especially likes Spam Javelin, Colin particularly enjoyed Infected Youth and OARGASM while I now find the work of Shaun Robert highly intriguing. Anyway, as is now customary at this juncture, here are my personal favourites.
1 Awkward Geisha with Gimp Gash - Memoir of a Horny Abortionist
2 Nil by Nose - Liminal Space
3 UNIT - The Unwanted
4 Howl in the Typewriter - Bitrate pSuicide
Is anything missing this time around? Perhaps a couple of folk influenced tracks . . . maybe next time.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 14th April 2021
Every time a new godspunk collection arrives, I adopt a practise to which I adhere with the fanatical zeal of a religious fundamentalist: I listen to the entire project through speakers. Then I listen to it again through headphones. Right then, let’s do this.
Howl in the Typewriter - Contraband
Ye gods, it’s 1979 again. This is pure punk rock . . . well, perhaps post-punk or pop-punk because it is superior to any mere piece of punk pap. I nearly said ‘this comes as a bit of a shock’ but of course almost every track by HitT comes as a shock because it is rarely possible to predict what idiom or genre the music will display. A common feature of HitT is the unexpected lurch into a middle section with music that provides a sharp contrast to what precedes it . . . and this is no exception. The vocals are out there in front where there is nowhere to hide . . . which is where they need to be in this instance. 8/10
Aware - End of Max (take one)
Take mid-1960s Sun Ra, add a sprinkle of Evan Parker, Paul Rutherford and Derek Bailey (even though this piece does not feature a guitar) and you have a visceral slice of avant garde jazz that for me is pure heaven although, sadly, I can imagine how most commercial radio station presenters will react to this - yes, you know what I mean, every tired and tedious cliché locked firmly into position with their ‘racket, noise, chaotic nonsense’ blah blah ad nauseam. We occasionally attempt to perform works in this idiom in UNIT but (a woeful sigh redolent of distant wind-swept beaches and rain) 90% of the time we fail. This group succeeds. How? Well, my theory is that no matter how frantic and frenetic their music may be at any juncture, each of the performers listens intently to what his or her colleagues play. This is the most important aspect of free improvisation if one seeks to create music one wishes to hear again . . . but oh how I wish there was a double bass or bass guitar involved. The vocalist is especially effective, too. 9/10
UNIT - Forbidden Love
I wrote this in 1988. It describes my reaction (circa 1978) when I suspected my infatuation with Paul Novak, a boy in the year below me at Amery Hill School, might contain a sexual element. I cannot describe adequately in mere words the horror I experienced when I realised I was probably queer; this music comes closer to an expression of it. For me, this is the definitive account and special plaudits go to Keilan for his guitar playing and production on this piece. I cannot give this full marks because my singing is so bloody irritating and anyway, the music is little more than 1980s punk rock. It suits the text but it hardly represents our most interesting or original work. For the record: in 1980 I decided I would beat my loathsome affliction by refusing ever to indulge in any sexual activity with a boy or man. It is a credit to my willpower and determination that I succeeded. What, me, a pouf? Never - the only time I ever touch another man is to hit him! 6/10
SAWGASM - pOPULATION cONTROL
Well, being queer is one (admittedly somewhat extreme) means by which the population may be controlled . . . I suppose. Plangent string chords on a keyboard, extraneous sound effects off-stage combined with disembodied male and female voices provide an almost ethereal (if rather malevolent) soundscape until sudden sharp synthesiser stabs interrupt the mood although the piece remains quiet and mysterious until the final few seconds when the synths blast out aggressive chunks of fractured riffs designed to give you nightmares. This is highly effective - avant garde in a Nurse With Wound fashion but with a clear structure (well, it sounds clear to me anyway). Yes, this is impressive. My only complaint is that it is too short . . . which is actually a compliment, isn’t it? 7/10
Jeanie & the Kaprikorns - I don’t give a fig about you
“Tell me, pStan, what sort of music do you feature on godspunk volume twenty-two?” “Oh, here we have both kinds - country and western.” The running order of tracks (so far anyway) is superb, for who could possibly expect a chunk of twangy guitar driven good old boys music to follow the strange malevolence of SAWGASM? Now, I ABSOLUTELY LOATHE AND DETEST COUNTRY AND WESTERN so it is a major task for me to treat this track fairly. All right then, let’s pretend I, too, am a good old boy from Nashville, Tennessee and I want to enjoy a down-home square dance to the local band of hillbillies Dad booked for the evening. The instrumental accompaniment is sharply defined (essential for this idiom) and the performance is mandatory but . . . here I have a serious criticism . . . the female vocalist is barely audible. This (for me) ruins the track. She can evidently sing so let’s hear her, for crying out loud! 4/10
Dr. Awkward - 4 organs
Ah, I remember this chap from a previous godspunk. This is 1 minute 2 seconds of a single augmented minor 7th chord . . . so it ought to be really boring, yes? Well, not for me it isn’t, especially if heard through headphones rather than speakers although both are effective. This is one of those pieces that sounds superficially simple on an initial encounter yet in fact there are very subtle nuances involved here. Despite the complete absence of any development (which I suspect is not the purpose of the piece), I think this could easily stand being twice as long. Intriguing. 7/10
Howl in the Typewriter & the taurus board - Con Artist
This is a splendid example of a collaboration, albeit one I did not expect: the taurus board are always welcome in this neighbourhood, of course, but what intrigues me here is that I am unable to discern which of the disparate instruments and voices are the result of HitT and for which the taurus board are responsible. An American (or Canadian) radio presenter engages in an acrimonious dispute with a couple of telephone callers who accuse him of being a con artist. Very odd . . . but I find this quickly becomes extremely tiresome and tedious after a couple of minutes. 3/10
Lettuce Vultures - 20 20 20 20
If The Lemon Kittens had been American, this is probably very similar to how they would sound. The lyric is excellent but I find the music utterly atrocious - merely a matter of personal taste, you understand - the crawling chaos of the misaligned vocals and manic guitar plus extraneous noises that invade the final third of the piece will no doubt appeal to many listeners, especially those who enjoy Flipper, The Butthole Surfers and Fugazi. 2/10
UNIT - The Green Room
The contrast between this and Lettuce Vultures is profound. This is one of a series of pieces I have written about (or are inspired by) children’s homes. I am especially proud of this piece, originally issued on a 14 track EP, this being one of the few tracks that was longer than 90 seconds. Fritz provides some lovely saxophony in the final section although I suspect it continues for too long . . . we simply enjoyed playing it and thus the piece is probably a minute longer than it ought to be. 8/10
Sex Demon - An Angel on Fire Upon the Altar of Lust
Well, that’s a mightily Lovecraftian title, is it not? A buzzsaw guitar driven slab of speed metal as heard through a Japanese transistor radio. God knows what he’s bellowing. It’s all so distorted it could be a recipe, for all I know . . . although presumably one that involves goat’s blood and eye of newt. This piece desperately needs a bass guitar. It reminds me of a couple of Norwegian death metal tracks I heard on Resonance one evening. That was a really unpleasant experience, too. Midway through it appears a couple of gospel singers have invaded the hall as they intone The Sweet Bye And Bye (a hymn tune often quoted by Charles Ives in his more adventurous works) which is rather effective . . . but I still find this utterly intolerable! It’s not the fault of the music or the performers - I ABSOLUTELY LOATHE AND DETEST ANY FORM OF HEAVY METAL. That said, if this piece had a bass guitar and a full studio production, it would be far more dramatic. 1/10
Bidoche Musique - Illusion Terror
This is strongly reminiscent of Howl in the Typewriter with its prerecorded voice over disjointed music whose fragmentary riffs and phrases provide an awkward and unsettling accompaniment to the voice which repeats the words ‘terror’, ‘terrorist’, ‘terrorist groups’, terrorising’ and ‘terrorist attacks’. For a minute this is most effective but alas for me there is insufficient content to justify its 3 minute duration. 4/10
Infected Youth - How The Necronomicon Was Destroyed By The Church
We’re back with Mr Lovecraft again. I recall this bunch from a previous godspunk, too. A prerecorded voice informs us of the destruction of an infamous tome by one of the many popes who sought to decide what we are and are not allowed to read while the band plays a slightly psychedelic groove redolent of the late 1960s but the sound is extremely sibilant and thin which is a shame. 5/10
Large Veiny Members - Close Your Eyes
Ah, this bunch returns after a brief absence from godspunk. This reminds me (no, seriously it does) of Genesis circa 1974. It could be one of the brief interludes on The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway . . . which from me is a compliment. There isn’t much else to say about this - keyboard driven, ethereal and almost tranquil but never in any New Age drippy Cynthia Size A sense. Marimba and metal percussion gradually pervade the soundscape until they become central features of a work that gradually changes its components over time while it retains the same basic mood. This shares with 4 organs by Dr. Awkward the ability to retain my interest even though nothing much appears to happen. Mind you, in this instance, at nearly 6 minutes it does start to become slightly repetitive. Note: this piece sounds much more impressive when heard through headphones. 6/10
Proud Fuckoo Band - The Birds
Now, anyone even vaguely acquainted with me is aware of my passion for ornithology so this track had better justify its title . . . and then some. If I don’t hear so much as a Chaffinch or a mention of at least 2 different birds, there’s liable to be trouble over this, you see if I don’t. Oh Christ, here we go - it’s early 1977 and that bloody annoying bunch of teenage punks next door are practising again. There’s a Swell Maps aura to this except the vocals are strictly Lancastrian which is an improvement, in my opinion. Oh, I see now: Proud Fuckoo Band from Cloud Cuckoo Land. However, I did not hear any birds and only one (the Cuckoo) was mentioned in the lyric so I may have to write to my member of parliament over this gross dereliction of duty with regard to the trade descriptions act. The vocals sound oddly (and unpleasantly) muffled which does spoil the effect for me although since I really don’t like punk rock as an idiom, I am not best placed to offer any useful opinion of this piece. 2/10 . . . no, 3/10 because I like the Lancastrian accents.
Magic Bullet - Mutant Flash Mob
Synthesisers and cymbals plus a drum machine all conspire to give this a slightly early 1990s vibe. Imagine electronica but with bollocks and teeth . . . although this is very repetitive (which presumably is the intention). The trouble here is that I am not a fan of repetition so it’s going to be difficult for me to be fair to this group. I find myself waiting for something to happen but it never does . . . which means I’m probably missing the purpose of the piece entirely. 4/10.
Lieutenant Caramel + Shaun Robert - Sophisme Pléonastique
Growls and grumbles from a distorted guitar or a synthesiser over which a young woman intones a text in which I can barely decipher the words because it needs to be far more prominent in the mix for my taste. ‘Door tap adagio’ indeed. This text sounds intensely interesting but I can’t bloody well hear it properly. Struck bottles and other extraneous sounds appear. Splashing water replaces the guitar / synth but only gradually. The soundscape evolves over time which means it never becomes repetitive or boring. In fact this is far too short in my opinion - I began to enjoy the slowly shifting soundscape and the introspective recitation given by Lydia Jordan when abruptly it fades out. Maybe the original piece is longer . . . it deserves to be. 7/10 . . . and it would be far more if the vocal was clearer and louder.
UNIT - Darkness & Silence
I am associated (for better or worse) with the ability to write really grim, bleak and depressing ballads. This is one of them. It is an honest expression of how I felt during 2020 when nobody took the slightest notice of our music or our books. Mind you, hardly anybody takes any notice of us in 2021 but now I simply don’t care anymore. Christ, this is so miserable it makes Joy Division sound like the Happy Mondays. I’ll tell you this though: one of those guitars is seriously out of tune in places. One of us should have noticed that. Still, at the risk of appearing outrageously conceited, I must award this 9/10, despite that annoyingly out of tune guitar.
Harsh Noise Movement - Bleed
‘I don’t play at parties as much as I used to.’ Yes, I can see why it was decided to follow our mournful misery with this track . . . which, after the opening prerecorded voice, bursts into the room with an eruption of absolute blue blast of noise. This is such a contrast with what precedes it, I can’t help smiling. Ye gods, this group deserve their name. Take Whitehouse, Throbbing Gristle at their most trenchant and Lustmord . . . then add more bass frequencies and more violence . . . and you have a fair idea of what to expect here: brutal, crushing, monumental violence at battleship bashing volume for nearly 3 minutes. There are actually 3 or 4 different sounds strands here, a fact which becomes apparent if you listen to this via headphones. Where most 1980s industrial outfits simply turned up the volume on their murderous machines to ‘house crushing’, intelligent noise merchants such as Otomo Yoshihide realised the creation of genuinely interesting soundscapes in this idiom require diligent attention to detail, an apparent contradiction in terms given the nature of the sound desired . . . but HNM veer strongly toward Yoshihide in this respect and deserve credit for their work as a consequence. 8/10
Nil by Nose - Drone On
Nil by Nose, you poor sods . . . how the hell are you expected to follow that Lovecraftian racket? It sounds like a Jaws Harp . . . but is probably a Cynthia Size A . . . going ‘blah blah blah’ for minutes on end. Actually there is a subtle rhythm change going on here as further strange sounds - electronic birds perhaps - enter the arena to flit and flap around from left to right as the ‘blah blah blah’ gradually recedes. As I listen to this and many of the other contributions here, it occurs to me how conventional, how ‘normal’ UNIT sounds by comparison . . . a provocative discovery . . . and not one I particularly welcome. Heard a second time (through headphones) this improves and my relationship to it alters. Where previously I found it slightly irritating, now I actually enjoy it . . . mostly. 7/10
Father Stone - Serotonin
Crunchy guitar, deep bass guitar and crisp drums provide a suggestion of punk rock which is (for me) only spoiled by the slightly histrionic vocals. Mind you, as a crap singer myself, I am profoundly reluctant to criticise the vocals of other singers. The lyric is quite disturbing and perhaps the manic vocal style enhances the effect so is justified. This is a bit (ahem) 1980s punk rock, albeit with a vastly superior production but as I really don’t like the idiom of punk rock, I can hardly be objective about what is probably a decent example of the genre. 5/10
Dr. Awkward - clickclickclick
Bongos, claves and a synthesiser . . . not actually doing very much but the stops and starts provide variety . . . although to my ears this sounds like a brief extract from a longer work. I want to know what happened before it started and what happened after it stopped. 3/10
Note: the short works of Dr. Awkward share a particular quality with Nil by Nose: they sound more effective and impressive when heard in succession rather than as brief interludes between longer tracks by other groups / artists. The range and variety exhibited by the contributions made by Dr. Awkward and Nil by Nose reveal themselves properly when you listen to their tracks as an EP or album of their work instead of as single contributions to a compilation project.
UNIT - Winning The Struggle
This instrumental was written in 1990 by Dave Fanning (our bass guitarist in the old days). Keilan wanted us to record a decent account of this . . . so we did. I am not convinced my organ additions are necessary contributions to what is already a very busy, fast and frenetic piece but the others wanted a Hammond Organ on it so I obliged. Keilan enjoys himself and manages to imitate Dave’s guitar style with superb aplomb. No, it’s no good, I still think this piece would be improved if I did not appear on it. 7/10
Infected Youth - Of The Blasphemous Gods
Here we go again: a prerecorded radio or television voice babbles over a late 1960s slightly psychedelic accompaniment with much faffing about on guitar. The Necronomicon is mentioned again so in effect this is another facet of the same sonic prism from which their previous contribution is cut. As before, I find the mix really difficult to tolerate - the band sounds as if they are recorded next door while someone has left a radio switched on in the room I occupy. Because both tracks display this property I assume it is intentional but for me it spoils the effect. The band are evidently able to perform with a high level of technical proficiency so let’s hear them at their best. 5/10
Jeanie & The Kaproikorns - It just takes heartache to love you
Right then, remember what I said about I don’t give a fig about you? Copy and paste what I wrote for that and insert it here . . . but in a larger font . . . in red. TURN THAT SINGER UP LOUD SO WE CAN HEAR HER - DO IT NOW - IT’S THE LAW! Well, I mean, dash it all, you’d think country and western outfits would know better, wouldn’t you? Here: how many country and western singers does it require to change a light bulb? Two: one to change the light bulb and the other to sing about how good the old one was. 2/10
Howl in the Typewriter - Thoughtfishing
Oh, I remember this - it took me bloody hours to work out what to sing after pStan requested a vocal contribution from me. Is pStan a superior singer to me? Yes he is and this fact becomes painfully evident here. The text is both amusing, clever and slightly sad simultaneously. John Tree was to be a contributor to this project but alas he found himself unable to think of anything to record at the time . . . no more thought fish, you see? The music is rather dreary and repetitive but is rescued by the spirited vocals. I love the brief exchange at the end as 2 elderly Lancastrians (or possibly Northumbrians) laugh at the notion of John putting vinegar on his chips . . . lor’, bloody ‘ellfire. 7/10
Intermission: while we change discs, it occurs to me that in my review so far I’ve given nice high marks to UNIT and generally low marks to almost everyone else. Ye gods, what does that look like? Well, actually this is not quite as conceited as it first appears. For new contributors not previously acquainted with my reviews in general and my evaluation system in particular, my ‘marks out of ten’ refer only to my own personal musical preference and are never intended to imply an indication of the intrinsic artistic / musical merit of the tracks concerned. This also means if I give a really low mark for a piece of punk rock, heavy metal or country and western, you know my opinion really ought not to be taken too seriously or at least my judgement is certainly liable to be suspect.
Howl in the Typewriter - King of the Underground
Because both discs commence with a HitT track, this gives the impression of being sent two volumes of godspunk simultaneously. The most consistently impressive feature of HitT over the years is the strength of the lyrics - this is a particularly trenchant example. The music is a kind of indie pop interpretation of heavy metal but with the trademark abrupt change of sound and style half way through that takes us into Psychic TV territory before a brief reprise of the opening gesture. The vocal is right up here where you can hear every one of those vitriolic words. 7/10
UNIT - Sex For Spastics
I have written a whole cycle of works from 1982 onwards that are concerned with physical disability and not purely because I am afflicted with a minor disability myself. 3 decades working in youth clubs resulted in occasional encounters with young people afflicted with (for example) Asperger’s Syndrome, autism, motor neurone disease and so forth. Their plight affected me profoundly and I became increasingly angry at the absence of any works by any pop groups or punk bands willing and able to address this matter. (A noble exception: London punk band The Assassins Of Hope recorded a track called Spastic Disco in 1982 that treats the subject with respect but, perhaps due to its title, caused complaints from the (able bodied) loony lefties at the time, none of whom bothered to read the lyric, of course.) This track, when it was issued on an EP in December 2020, caused a similar controversy except here it was the white middle class hysterical liberals who reacted with typical terror - how dare we ask such a question as the one posed in this text. The music is possibly inspired by Wire since all 4 members of UNIT are enthusiasts for the group. 8/10. It would be more if I could sing without sounding like a weedy wimp.
Nil by Nose - Gun Dub
A splendid prerecorded voice (perhaps extracted from one of those typically British stalwart films of the 1960s) retains our interest here as a plodding electronic rhythm marches nervously underneath a plethora of synthesiser burbles, squeaks and sparkles of sound . . . a description that fails to do adequate justice to this track which sounds equally impressive through speakers or headphones. 6/10
Bidoche Musique - Illusion Return
A strange instrument that sounds like a hybrid part-piano part-guitar plucks its steady journey over a single chord (suggested rather than insisted) provided by distant keyboards. This is another of those pieces that apparently does hardly anything for 3 minutes yet actually contains a subtle mixture of disparate elements that become clearer when heard through headphones. I find this slightly too long for its content but when placed here, it does sound like ‘part two’ of Gun Dub. 5/10
Sex Demon - The Horny Devils
I notice a distinct plethora of Lovecraftian elements pervades some of the contributions here and now we have another one. Take 90% of my comments / criticisms from An Angel on Fire and insert them here. A drum machine or rhythm generator replaces an actual drum kit (and, sorry lads, but this does not help matters) and I really do believe a bass guitar is necessary although the 2 guitars playing in open 5ths half way through is highly effective. Again I’ve no idea what the chap is ‘singing’ (well, bawling) but his voice sounds as if his vocal chords have been in contact with sandpaper soaked in methyl alcohol. An odd thought occurs to me: had Throbbing Gristle attempted to play speed metal, the result might sound not dissimilar to this. 6/10
Harsh Noise Movement - Dream Demon
After those horny devils we now have a dream demon - you see a theme develop here, do you not? Ooh, Latin percussion already with a funky synthesiser and fragments of disjointed vocal interjections . . . what? Well, all right, I don’t ‘dig it’ (as these trendy young hipsters say) but if you played Bleed then told me to name the identity of this bunch, I would never suspect it to be the same outfit. There is a clue: the harsh feedback guitar in the background that adds an aura of menace to the proceedings. Very odd. 5/10
Howl in the Typewriter & the taurus board - Paul the Pagan
the taurus board acid rave influence is clearly apparent here combined with the typical HitT use of taped voices (or the digital equivalent of ‘tape’) and minimal keyboards that provide an intriguing combination where the separation between taurus and Typewriter remains consist throughout its duration - I can see the join - but that is not a criticism. Frankly, the piece does not require those taped voices, it really doesn’t; the music is sufficiently interesting by itself such that their presence is superfluous. Indeed I find them a distraction. 6/10
UNIT - A Normal Child
A 12 year old boy loses his parents and elects to run away from the authorities rather than languish in a children’s home. The text describes his plight as he forges a life in derelict buildings and obtains food from litter bins. Every line of this lyric appeared to coalesce in my mind with scarcely any effort. Often I require weeks to complete a lyric of this nature; this one I finished in less than 3 days. The music, by contrast, required continual construction over a month as I hammered every chord, phrase and harmony into place like a series of John Dryden couplets. It isn’t my intention to be a purveyor of pure pop anthems but (sigh) they just roll off the production line so I accept it. 9/10. I would give this 10/10 if it was sung by . . . well, someone who could sing.
Hermanos Guzanos - Jorge & Tony
A murky brass band in the street outside . . . someone plays percussion in their room as an accompaniment while his / her younger brother forms a rough and ready chorus in a language that might be Spanish . . . or not. This is really irritating yet simultaneously it forced a smile onto my face (which, believe me, is not a pretty sight) so how am I to respond to it? Honestly, I cannot decide what I think of this delightful nonsense. 5/10
Proud Fuckoo Band - Terminus
Oh, here we go again - more 1977 punk rock. Here, one of those singers sounds like pStan Batcow while the other one sounds suspiciously similar to John Cooper Clarke. My god this ‘music’ is horrible, especially those biscuit tin drums. By contrast, the lyric is excellent. If you enjoy punk rock at its most eccentric then you will no doubt enjoy this, too. I am allergic to punk rock, of course so . . . er . . . 3/10.
Magic Bullet - We Would Hear The Machines
Now then, guys ‘n’ gals: which 2 pop pieces end with the sound of a vacuum cleaner being switched off? Get Down by Wire (from the free EP that accompanies the LP 154) and this splendid conceit which does indeed give us machines . . . a choir of them . . . each of which clanks, clatters, hammers and grinds away in a finely crafted precision of rhythm and stereo effects that make this one of my favourite tracks of the set. Think: Portion Control, SPK or even Nine Inch Nails but in a 21st century style. It is equally effective heard through speakers or headphones. 9/10 . . . the missing point is because it ought to be at least a minute longer.
Father Stone - Space Goat
By the way, the original Father Stone was a character from an episode of Father Ted, since you ask. Alas, this gives us more punk rock so obviously I hate it. Sorry, chaps, this is not an indication of your music or lyric but (sigh) I really don’t like punk rock although instead of the stereotypical guitar solo we are given a duel guitar delay thingie that sounds more like Hawkwind than the usual rubbish regurgitated by the safety pin and bondage strap brigade . . . and I intend that as a compliment. Like their previous track, the mix is fine - powerful and clear except here the vocals are less histrionic so that’s grand. As for the lyric itself . . . er . . . what? God knows. 4/10
Aware - End of Max (take two)
The initial vocal warbles remind me of (ahem) Gong . . . but not for long, fortunately. I am forced to admit I much prefer take one. This sounds far too fragmented and disjointed by comparison although it is never boring (unless you dislike this kind of free jazz in which case this will not win any new converts to the genre). Actually if you listen to this first, followed directly by take one, it sounds (to my ears anyway) like a complete work and functions most effectively as such. 5/10
Howl in the Typewriter - The Wheels
Ugh, this is absolutely horrible! A slow, dreary plodding guitar and percussion driven dirge with another of those taped voices I find so annoying on HitT tracks - this one is a Stephen Hawking voice box leavened slightly by some nice wordless vocalises in the background. Sorry, pStan, but I find myself waiting for this dreadful mess to end, every passing minute a heavy heap of hell. I’d prefer it minus that prerecorded voice. Mind you, I’d prefer it without all the instruments, too . . . just that wordless vocalise will do me, thanks. 1/10
UNIT - Realise Your Potential
I wrote most of this in 1983 but added the 7/4 Jon Anderson flavoured sections in 1996. I am proud of this lyric and my pride is entirely legitimate given the current government instigated crisis. Special praise must be given to Keilan, Fritz and Colin for their rendition of this piece for this is exactly how I always intended it to sound. Now, is there a decent singer in the house? Step up here and take over, please, because this poor sod clearly doesn’t have what it takes, does he? 8/10
Nil by Nose - Mini Little Dub
Dub reggae as performed by The Nocturnal Emissions or Throbbing Gristle. No, really, that’s exactly what this slice of electronic eccentricity sounds like. It ought to be about 30 seconds longer, though. Rather enjoyable actually. 7/10
Infected Youth - The Existence Of Copies Of The Blasphemous Book
Now we return to H P Lovecraft again for another slice of psychedelia underneath a meticulously articulated BBC announcer voice (oh, I wish radio and television announcers spoke like that today - such clear diction) which delivers a commentary on ‘that bloody book’. Note: I’ve read The Necronomicon and IT’S BLOODY BORING, nothing but a feeble collocation of mystical cobblers devoid of substance or content. With regard to the group itself, I’d like to hear all 3 of their pieces divested of those prerecorded voices, given a strong, fulsome production . . . then we’d be in action. 6/10
SAWGASM - tHEOLOGY tHROUGH tHE pYLORIC vALVE
A lone guitarist trying to practise a Link Wray number is suddenly assaulted by a bunch of industrial noise merchants who have recently acquired a number of fearsome black boxes that go ‘ping’ and intend to try them out and sod the neighbours. A single phrase occurs to me immediately here: controlled chaos. This is so incredibly dense it overpowers and overwhelms the listener initially. A 2nd and 3rd encounter is required (once through speakers, once via headphones) to engage with the disparate collection of squeaks, burbles, growls and grumbles that hurtle in swift succession through every nook and cranny of this very, very strange piece. There is a really effective moment where we hear a standard 3rd rate rock group try to make itself heard but its tedious rifferama is quickly subsumed under a further welter of crushing noises as another black box that goes ‘ping’ is switched on. This is BLOODY BRILLIANT! 10/10
Dr. Awkward - number 3
Now we travel to eastern Europe for a balalaika session and highly enjoyable it is, too. The extraneous swoop of sound near the end suggests the arrival of a bomber which adds a curiously malevolent mien to disturb the previously bucolic atmosphere. Really, that’s all I can say about this because further words are superfluous. 7/10
the taurus board - Normalized3
Don’t try to confuse me with all that ‘Dresden Kirk’ nonsense, we know the taurus board when we hear it. This is not one of their most instantly impressive being rather too repetitive for me but imagine this played in a rave club circa 1994 . . . yes, all right, this does resonate from the 1990s but at least HeF is more up to date than we are, with our early 1980s style and late 1970s idioms. the taurus board share that common factor that informs Dr. Awkward and Nil by Nose: their work sounds more effective when heard in a different context, i.e. if a brace of their tracks is heard in succession rather than as a single contribution to a compilation. 6/10
UNIT - Pensée Poisson
Well, I admit the idea appeared appealing when I conceived it: all 4 of playing bass guitars and sharing the vocal duties. It could have worked . . . but, now I listen to it again, clearly it did not. Both John Tree and pStan deserve a higher quality tribute than this sonic mess. The bass guitars divested of the vocals would sound decent enough . . . or the vocals bereft of the bass guitars perhaps . . . but combined, the result is a monumental disappointment. The central ‘jazz’ section is quite effective . . . but other than that brief oasis of enjoyable music, the remainder of this is just, well, horrid. 2/10
Jeanie & the Kaprikorns - It just takes heartache to love you
The same song we heard on the previous disc but now heard played in the next room with the door ajar . . . so now not only is the vocalist murky and indistinct but so are all the instruments. Ugh, Christ, this is even worse than Pensée Poisson. 1/10
Howl in the Typewriter - UpdowNInouT
Quiz Number 2: how many UNIT numbers can you name in this chaotic collation of fragments upon which pStan adds his own vocals and instruments here and there. UNIT tracks in every style we’ve ever explored (avant garde, punk, prog rock, industrial, folk and even one of my classical works for chamber orchestra) engage in a battle with pStan and his music editing suite . . . with a result that I find really disturbing. I’ve died and all our files are corrupted by a computer virus. In a desperate effort to retrieve some of our work, pStan rescues the few remaining fragments that survived (and these include brief excerpts of tracks from 1997 to 2020), cobbles them together and creates this glorious mess. He calls it our ‘best bits’ and, to be honest, he’s usually correct. Osaka Boy and Sports Day are included, for example, 2 of the very best works we have ever created . . . but it is enjoyably weird to hear pStan sing my vocal parts. Anyone familiar with our works will appreciate how extremely clever is this collage because each piece usually segues seamlessly into the next and the few sudden lurches from one style to the next still functions in a dramatically convincing manner. The effect is emphasised by the inclusion of (I think) every track on which we ever collaborated with pStan either on one of our own pieces or on one of his. Ye gods, how many hours and hours did you spend on this, pStan? How can I award marks for this? I’ll give it 9/10 until I can reach a conclusion.
Now then . . . how can I possibly summarise this double disc set? I do have 1 minor criticism yet I don’t see how it could be avoided given the nature of the tracks people sent for inclusion on the project: the absence of purely acoustic instruments. Much of this is very electronic and synthesiser / computer generated in content. The results are generally interesting and often satisfying but a couple of folk or blues influenced pieces would provide the only elements absent from what is otherwise a superb collection which boasts industrial noise, avant garde jazz, punk rock, mutated heavy metal, acid rave, pristine pop, heavy rock and everything between. The artwork is not quite as instantly appealing as a few of the previous collections from the recent past but the quality remains constant so I’ll not complain.
What constitutes my trio of personal favourites?
1) SAWGASM - tHEOLOGY tHROUGH tHE pYLORIC vALVE
2) Aware - End of Max (take one)
3) Magic Bullet - We Would Hear The Machines
+
4) UNIT - A Normal Child (if I was asked to include our group in the list).
Recommendation: first, collect together every track by Large Veiny Members, Nil by Nose, the taurus board and Dr. Awkward. Now compile individual discs or playlists for each group / artist . . . then listen to the results. See what I mean? What next? I’d like to hear future contributions from Dr. Awkward, Nil by Nose, Large Veiny Members and Magic Bullet based purely on their work here. I don’t include the taurus board here because I always say I want to hear their work on these discs. Do I have any regrets? Yes, 3: 1st, what a crying shame LDB (aka Lawrence Burton) retired from any form of musical expression over a decade ago. 2nd, the one musical genre absent from this set is hip hop or grime and it would be nice to have examples of it on a godspunk. 3rd, I wish we’d never wasted everyone’s time with Pensée Poisson! Sorry, guys ‘n’ gals . . . we shall try to ensure this lapse in quality is not repeated in future.
Is volume twenty-two among the top 5 godspunks? Frankly, no, not quite. Does it rank among the top 10? Definitely. There, that’s soon said.

 - Review by Jerry Kranitz, May 2021
pStan Batcow has been running his Pumf label since 1984 and a look at his web site shows new releases continuing at a steady clip. One of the highlights is the godspunk compilations, which always includes a wild and wooly assortment of creative mania, recalling the best of the old cassette culture comps. pStan use to send them to me regularly in the Aural Innovations days but the latest, volume twenty-two, is the first I’ve heard in in some years. It’s a 2-CD megathon of 19 bands and 48 songs.
I’ll start with Magic Bullet, which is the brainchild of Mick Magic, ship commander of Magic Moments at Twilight Time and the long-lived Music & Elsewhere label (he also most kindly sent me this CD.) Mick gets two tracks: ‘Mutant Flash Mob (radio edit)’ consists of spaced out electro rock with brain scrambling phased and time warped effects that morphs into a delirious alien dancefloor thumper. Trip-EEEEEEEE!!!! And ‘We Would Hear The Machines (godspunk edit)’ is similar but the dancefloor is hurtling through space and dodging machinery debris. Fun stuff.
Howl in the Typewriter and UNIT contribute the most tracks and are bands I’m well acquainted with. Howl in the Typewriter is headed up by Pumf boss pStan, who wows us with an array of 60s garage meets 70s punk, whimsical psychedelic drone song, quirky robotic synth-pop with an infusion of radio samples, and much more. They also close the compilation with a nearly 10-minute rollicking collage that pretty much sums up this wonderful collection.
I’ve heard lots of music from Andy Martin and UNIT over the years and there is NO classifying these guys, though they really do have a recognizable style, due in part to Andy’s distinctive vocal style. One song sounds like Hawkwind playing punk-metal. Another is a pleasantly melodic, weirdly psychedelic, yet UNITly offbeat tune with teensy-weensy Proggy bits. We’ve also got a drugged 60s sounding song with a psychedelic avant-folk edge and proggy keys, a cacophonously swirly and hard rocking prog-punk song, and more.
I won’t detail the rest of the bands but here is a quick half penny tour: if whacko-jazz is a genre then that is how I would classify the band AWARE. SAWGASM excel at spacey, experimental freak out collages. Jeanie & the Kaprikorns play country hoedown instrumentals, sometimes with a dreamily trippy edge. Dr. Awkward’s three entries are all very different, from high intensity orchestral ambience, to grooving space-tribalism and electronic effects. Lettuce Vultures serve up a mangled, contorted and maimed, dissonantly angular and goofily zany noise-punk song. Sex Demon are best described as Cookie Monster vocals speed-metal for noise-punks. Bidoche Musique have lots of fun with cut-up voice samples weirdness and drugged feedback / noise drone-rock with beautiful guitar melodies. Infected Youth combine lo-fi rock with various spoken word samples. Large Veiny Members contribute melodically bouncy yet minimal music for Terry Riley meets Philip Glass fans. Proud Fuckoo Band play classic raucous, screechy, acid-psyching, drunken punk rock ‘n’ roll. Harsh Noise Movement play both ear splitting power electronics and a blend of simple grooving percussion, lo-fi disco keys and gibberish vocals. Nil by Nose have one track of twangy drone rock, and two more of sci-fi electronic weirdness. Father Stone play classic punk with a thrash-metal kick on one track, and their second, ‘Space Goat’, is one of my favorites on the comp, sounding like the Stooges as a psychedelic metal band. Finally, underground veterans Hermanos Guzanos contribute a collage / cut-up of a circus marching band providing the music for an Eastern European dancehall troupe.
It all happens at the Pumf web site . . .

 - Bricklaying the Charleston blog, June 2021
I should possibly open by declaring certain details which may suggest a lack of objectivity on my part. I've known pStan Batcow, the man behind both this compilation and the Pumf label which spawned it for a plurality of decades. He's appeared on things I've recorded, and I've appeared on stage with him back when he was blowing a jug for the Ceramic Hobs. I contributed to the first three volumes of godspunk, and have been a member of one of the bands who contribute to this collection. Anyway, pStan has been sending me the latest volume of this thing since way back whenever, usually with some disclaimer along the lines of I know you probably think this is a pile of shite, but it's free, so bollocks - you'll have it and like it, or words to that effect; and I always feel as though I should make the effort to review the thing, or at least spread the word in some way, but I never do.
It isn't that I think the godspunk compilations are a pile of shite, but I've often found them a bit of a mixed bag. There's been some great stuff on godspunk over the years - not least being the Las Vegas Mermaids and one of the Shend's rare solo outings - but there's usually a couple of tracks I'm not so keen on, and I always feel awkward about it. Actually there have been at least a couple I've actively hated.
The deal with godspunk is that the artist contributes to the cost of producing a fancy compact disc, essentially paying for time on the disc and a page in the accompanying booklet. So if you have sixty quid, or however much it costs, you can probably get yourself on one of these. Although this has meant the inclusion of an occasional splash of uninspiring or otherwise workmanlike pub rock over the years, that sort of thing has generally been in the minority, and the eclecticism of these compilations tend to reflect the mix of weirdos with whom pStan Batcow breaks virtual bread rather than who just happened to have sixty quid to spare. The godspunk discs therefore tend to present a bewildering selection of pop, punk, DIY, techno, house, country, noise, avant-garde, prog, metal, rockabilly, free jazz, and trad garage just for starters; which can be a bit overwhelming if you're not prepared for it, which is usually why I'm left speechless.
I tend to listen to this sort of thing on a Discman while I'm out on my bike, and I took a slightly different approach with this one because it's the first volume issued on two discs. Fearing sensory overload, I took the case with me so as to refer to the track list as I listened, and somehow it made a big difference, providing some kind of context to the anticipated barrage of random swerves. It still didn't mean I loved everything here, but it rendered the experience a little less like arbitrary twists of a radio dial and therefore a lot more interesting.
My favourite tracks came from the ever formidable Harsh Noise Movement - who directly big me up in the booklet for some reason; and Jeanie & the Kaprikorns who seem to be a country and western outfit, which may mean I've been in Texas too long, or not long enough depending on how you look at it. Also great are the Large Veiny Members, taurus board, and Nil by Nose - all godspunk regulars who can usually be relied upon to come up with something worth hearing; and pStan's own Howl in the Typewriter should probably have been mentioned in that sentence. There's also UNIT, of which I was a member back in the eighteenth century and concerning which my commentary might therefore constitute a conflict of interests, although I will say that it's probably the best stuff I've heard from UNIT in a long time, at least in so much as that a couple of their tracks feature none of the usual easy listening glockenspiel overload and are therefore almost listenable, if a little more clean cut than I like; having said which, I could have lived without the Apostles classic Anarchy, Peace & Freedom rewritten as a self-improvement anthem. Infected Youth banging on about H.P. Lovecraft didn't really do it for me either, but never mind - a couple of duds amongst what amounts to nearly fifty tracks isn't a bad average.
I suspect the mistake I've been making with these godspunk collections, aside from taking them along as I go out and about but leaving the track list at home, is listening to them as I might listen to, off the top of my head, Rising from the Red Sand or some compilation demonstrating a fairly specific focus; because godspunk is essentially a spigot. You turn the tap and weird shit gushes out in seemingly random sequence. The key to appreciation is therefore in riding the gusher, going with the flow, and expecting to be surprised - which you absolutely will be. With editorial policy being whoever happens to have sixty quid and something they want to share, one might be forgiven for certain assumptions regarding godspunk; but it's worth remembering that it's 2021 and the majority of talent free shitehawks will most likely be clogging up Bandcamp or similar download sites because they're free and easy, or at least easier than physical media has become. So rather than godspunk assembling an array of ageing pub rockers who just happen to have cheque books at the ready, it's probably closer in spirit to the tapes once issued by Music for Midgets and the like, by virtue of contributors having eschewed the path of least resistance, musically speaking; so check the fucker out, is what I'm saying here.

 - Review by Jamie Azzopardi, typed throughout 2022
Howl in the Typewriter (with the taurus board / Andy, Carl & Paul on certain tracks) - by ‘eck, I’ve got loads to talk about ‘ere, so let’s get down to it! Party-starter “Contraband” comes storming out of the gates with lashings of pop vocal hooks atop dense guitar fuzzery - an instant Howl classic if ever there was one! The pair of taurus board collaborations, “Con Artist” and “Paul the Pagan” have a distinct Eno / Byrne flavour to them, with recordings of televangelists and err, a pagan called Paul coming and going over perky beats and muted synths . . . those not steeped in godspunk lore might find the words of “Thoughtfishing (John Tree’s Lament)” a touch bamboozling, so newer listeners may want to acquaint themselves with earlier volumes to get an idea of JT’s place in the series! If you haven’t got time for all that, this tune - sporting choice vocal contributions from Andy of UNIT, Carl of Nil by Nose etc and Paul of the taurus board fame - is still a nice listen, its strange mixture of faux-folk balladry and dreamy synthesised ambience recalling the more light-hearted moments of “Island”-era Current 93 for me. Incidentally, UNIT do their own setting of this lyric later on, albeit translated as “Pensée Poisson”. Instant Howl classic #2 “King of the Underground” opens the second disc in a junky, rough ‘n’ tumblin’, noise rockin’ kinda way, its eyebrow-raising lyrics seemingly poking fun at ageing avant-garde edgelords the world over . . . meanwhile, “The Wheels” sounds like a malfunctioning AI generator trying to make a soft rock ballad, I kid ye not! Truly strange shizzle. A quick glance at the tracklist tells us that there’s already a plethora of UNIT music on this volume, but just in case you want approx. 10 minutes MORE, there’s the closing “UpdowNInouT” too, in which pStan gives us a whistlestop tour of AM and company’s tape archive via an ingeniously assembled collage, which I find rather Nurse With Wound-esque in its mixture of chaos, darkness and humour!
AWARE - another welcome appearance for dJohn and his avant-jazz mob, who present us with two takes of a piece entitled "End of Max" (one on each disc). The first is dominated by chaotic cascades of sax notes and chops-tastic tin can clatter drumming, but also sports some vibraphone (?) flurries and quieter vocal passages, whilst the second concentrates more on said weird, incantational space whisperings, eventually drifting into a brief, rhythmic jam for rubber band bass and snake charmer reeds. Very cool - this is the sort of group I *dream* of making a triple LP of impenetrable skronk noise with!
UNIT - bejeezus, have moicy! Remember when I said distorted guitars were back in favour in UNIT land? Well, "Forbidden Love" is one of their most barnstorming, hard-fuzzin’ tunes that I’ve heard to date, moving effortlessly between slap-in-the-chops sledgehammer ensemble rockin’, nifty post-punk-progginess in the vocal sections and even a trill-tabulous NWOBHM-style lead guitar break! Excuse the swearing, but this is just flippin’ great. Elsewhere, my finely tuned Yes-dar started going stir crazy during certain parts of “Realise Your Potential” and I’ll eat my goddamned woolly hat collection if the decision to turn “Pensée Poisson” into a bass-in-yer-face showcase ain’t a ref to Chris Squire’s “The Fish” off the masterful “Fragile”! As I hinted above, there’s pretty much a mini-album’s worth of tunes on offer here from these godspunk legends, but these are the ones that jumped out at me!
SAWGASM - not to be confused with the late Dave Gilden's one-off mid '90s noise project, this mysterious entity is the first of several new names on volume twenty-two. Their inaugural piece, “pOPULATION cONTROL” (ach, don’t you just hate it when you leave the bloody Caps Lock on?!) starts firmly in an ‘80s horror soundtrack zone, being a freeform melange of sinister voices, swirling atonal strings and pensive synth washes, after which it kicks into life with a nice bit of thumping Berlin School rifferama . . . err, for about 10 seconds, anyways! Dang - I was just getting into that . . . talk about “leave ‘em wanting more”! “tHEOLOGY tHROUGH tHE pYLORIC vALVE” is far less of a tease - after a quick guitar warm-up, we’re plunged head first into a sound-collage abyss, with noisy industrial beats giving way to a series of deranged and dizzying cut-ups of squally feedback, fun fair noise and vintage computer tones, followed by a stretch of acid-warped breakcore, a few seconds of poodle-coiffed hair metal chug, then some kind of hellish summation of all of the above to finish! Gadzooks - excuse me a sec whilst I catch my breath . . . anyways, it’s hard to say who might be behind this - I hear shades of pStan in there, but then again maybe it’s nothing to do with him?! Whoever this may be, bravo and thank you to SAWGASM for these 6 minutes of audio goodness!
Jeanie & the Kaprikorns - more country fun and frolics from this outfit, who seem to have switched leaders - or gone through some sort of identity crisis - since the last godspunk! I used to be quite into rootsy, cowboy bootsy, honky tonky types of sounds - all that decadent ‘70s cosmic Americana junk, especially - but now I can only really listen to it in small doses . . . which is, admittedly, what Jeanie and co. provide us with here, but even so - there’s only so many times I can hear those same old, same old chord progressions before I want to go all Pete Townshend on their delicate little acoustical twangdoodles . . .
Dr. Awkward - “4 Organs” commences this volume’s Dr. Awkward snippet-fest with a blurred-out, fuzzy-'round-the-edges drone-scape, which might be nice to put on a loop the next time you’re cruising about yer local industrial estate . . . “clickclickclick” pits more dystopian dronery against some groovy hippy bongo action, sounding not unlike “Rock ‘n Roll Station”-era NWW in the process . . . in complete contrast, “number 3” goes all Eastern European acoustic folk tune on our asses, before being carried away into the Carpathian night by a gust of spooky synth!
Lettuce Vultures - as we’ve come to expect from LV, “20 20 20 20” is positively LOOPY, I tell thee - possibly their strangest contribution yet! This lopsided freak junk blues number sounds like it was assembled from chopped up bits of The Residents, Meat Puppets and The Magic Band, with greasy guitar lines slipping and oozing around the twitchiest and most neurotic drum machine beats imaginable, whilst a dual (or double-tracked?) vocal does droll, deadpan stuff over the top, once again poking fun at a certain Mr. Trump and his trigger-happy sycophants.
Sex Demon - more metallic filth spilt forth from the Werwolf Ale Brewery. These seedy, speedy, tritone-heavy blackened tantrums raise an overflowing tankard of fermented goat urine to old skoolers like Bathory and Darkthrone (quelle surprise), whilst also getting a round in for (slightly) more up-to-date bedroom fuzz-fiends like Blodulv and Tjolgtjar. Thinking about it, they'd make a decent 7" in Hell's own jukebox.
Bidoche Musique - crikey . . . it’s “Dubya”! I had to check my calendar for a sec there to make sure it wasn’t still the early 2000s hehe! So yeah, “Illusion Terror” is the debut godspunk offering from this Swiss artist and it consists of said former US president chunnering about (what else?!) terrorists over a cool Eno / Cluster-esque ditty, which is equal parts scuzzy industrial grit and pretty ambient plink. “Illusion Return” loses the vocal samples and ramps up the ambience, with sparse bass and synth parts floating freely above some cactus-strewn, twilit stretch of American desert. Fine work! I’ve also awarded some bonus points here, as I couldn’t help but notice that they’ve used the same font as Norwegian black metal legend Ildjarn for their Invasion Records label logo (see Discogs for proof)!
Infected Youth - back after a short break, Tim Thompson’s music has eased up a tad since volume twenty’s rather tense-sounding material! The occult-themed spoken word passages are still here (possessing an unnerving ‘uncanny valley’ quality to my ears), but the backing jams are a bit looser-limbed than before, touching on swingin’ psychsploitation soundtrack territory for the most part. Only “Of the Blasphemous Gods” - a glitchy remix / reprise of “How the Necronomicon Was Destroyed by the Church” - brings to mind past material. I don’t mind this stuff, but knowing that TT is also capable of utterly whacked-out experimental greatness, I can’t help but long for a return to the days of Flux of Yellow Daisies’ “Rise of the Sacrificial Goat”! Go on, Tim - jam another one out for us drooling maniacs before it’s too late!
Large Veiny Members - “Close Your Eyes” is the sole contribution from LVM, in which synths bubble and twinkle - their lines intertwining in a minimalist reverie, starting off like something from “New Age of Earth” by Ashra, before taking on a more Oriental feel with the addition of a higher register sequencer pattern. The piece remains in a state of flux until its conclusion, with assorted rhythms and discords occasionally rising to the surface and adding an interesting tension to what could have easily just been a bog-standard, harmonious “joss sticks and whale song” type of jam. There was a great project active within the US cassette underground just over a decade ago called Brother Raven - “Close Your Eyes” is definitely coming from a similar place of inspiration as their music. Very nice!
Proud Fuckoo Band - the pair of tunes from this new-to-godspunk, pStan-fronted project are dedicated to the late, great Wesley Willis of all people! So, what we got . . . covers of his classics like “Suck a Caribou’s Ass”?! Not quite - sweary, declamatory gang vocals cruise with pride atop mid-tempo distorted dustbin beats and layers of restless fuzz guitars, which riff and solo away as they please. These being Batcow productions, the songs do, of course, slide off-piste amorphously into samples and other strangeness, eventually returning you to familiar trash rock territory before you’ve even had a chance to process what just happened!
Magic Bullet - *also* new to the fold are Magic Bullet, a ‘duo’ who hail from the tropical climes of Knott-End, comprising of Mick Magic (of Music & Elsewhere fame) and a suspiciously similar-looking chap called Skit Zoyd! In “Mutant Flash Mob”, synthesised siren wah-ings and cutting, metallic cymbal washes lead into a weird bit of minimalist industrial techno, where yer 4-on-the-floor kick drum has been replaced by the sound of someone playing keepy-uppies with a wet fish. The piece builds with a certain amount of alien menace - indeed, the aural UFOs are out in force by the two-minute mark - then it’s back to where we started. How very . . . palindromic! “We Would Hear the Machines” is way more in-your-face, with cut-up / looped fragments of distorted rhythm pounding aggressively, mercilessly knocking ten bells out of your speakers, but also teasing out catchy mini-melodies in the process! Cool - I’d happily listen to a full length of this stuff.
Lieutenant Caramel + Shaun Robert - with obscure and darkly poetic vocal contributions from one Lydia Jordan rubbing up alongside a dense cacophony of household junk noise and grinding synths, this is quite the barrage! In the wrong hands (like mine, for example!), this type of thing can often end up sounding like an unhinged mess, but - old skool masters that they are - Messrs. Caramel and Robert manage to stop their wild sonic stew from boiling over! The latter name will be familiar to long-standing godspunk listeners, though Lieutenant Caramel (a.k.a. Philippe Blanchard) is making his debut here - such a pleasure to see so much fresh avant-garde blood joining in the fun across this volume! Oh, and to the daft lot at Audion ‘zine who reckon that this piece isn’t as good as anything off the “Cartes postales des Archipels” album - I think you’ll find that it IS also included on there!
Harsh Noise Movement - beginning with a disturbing spoken sample re: the perils of getting jiggy at bareback parties, “Bleed” is a wild, ever-shifting amalgam of synth noise, with all frequencies present and correct, guv - a thoroughly rich and crunchy low end, some tasty static covering the mid-range, then assorted piercing squeals killin’ our lugholes at the top! OK, so this *is* pretty much just A. N. other noise jam - as a fellow noise fanatic and noise-maker, I’ve got to be careful not to overrate it just because it’s the only track of its kind on the comp. Would it particularly stand out on a dedicated noise / power electronics collection? Possibly not, but taken in isolation, “Bleed” is fairly cool . . . in a filthy, disease-riddled kind of way! Presumably named after the Jemma Redgrave / Tim Spall / Jimmy Nail-fronted late ‘80s Nightmare on Elm Street rip-off, “Dream Demon” is quite the departure from the previous HNM contribution. I get further “Rock ‘n Roll Station” vibes from this piece, especially in its early stages, where a sparse tabla (?) beat takes centre stage. Lively vocal samples and synth squibs build the track up nicely, before a barrage of noise starts going apeshit in the background for the last minute or so - zoinks! Fine work from Mr. Rowe overall.
Nil by Nose - the unmistakable sound of a Jew’s harp ushers in “Drone On” . . . and drone it does, as the delay kicks in and the phasing gets headier, each new twang blending beautifully with the last! Further electronic manipulation turns the piece into a buzzing, hovering minimalist trance-out, until a chorus of strange high-pitched glitches, chirps and whistles rudely snaps you out of your state of hypnotised bliss. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on where the piece is taking you, the whole thing gets sucked into some kind of weird sonic wormhole for a few seconds, before the massed harps shift back into focus, by now sounding like someone playing a giant didgeridoo in space! This is a bit like something you’d encounter on an early Anton Bruhin album - very cool! Whilst “Drone On” packs a lot into its 3 minutes, Carl keeps the pair of dub tracks on the second disc a fair bit briefer, thus they’re unable to spread their wings as much as I’d have liked, personally - indeed, in spite of its title, “Mini Little Dub” is another one of those that sounds like a stingy extract from some eternal ur-jam. Still, with its moody synth work and thick beats, the earlier “Gun Dub” manages to create an effective atmosphere of urban menace in a little over 90 seconds!
Father Stone - comprising of the same personnel as Heavy Water (from godspunk volume seventeen), albeit minus Kate Fear, Father Stone crank forth two nuggets of up-tempo ‘90s-inspired rockin’, channelling the spirit of Therapy? on the somewhat metallic, angsty “Serotonin”, whilst “Space Goat” has more of a psychedelic stoner thing going for it - think stuff like Monster Magnet, Fu Manchu etc. - and sports some choice screams from Jake Halliwell. Nice one, fellas! Again, I’d listen to an album by these folks in a heartbeat.
Hermanos Guzanos - what the . . ?! HG’s sub-two-minute offering “Jorge & Tony” sounds like some ‘60s novelty record slowly melting to death under a baking hot Mexican summer sun, all warped and farty plundered brass band galumphing, percussive clippety-clopping and delirious vocal whining. Whilst they may be new to godspunk, rather confusingly, these fellas don’t seem to have been properly active since the early ‘90s (indeed, “Jorge & Tony” is originally from their 1990 tape “Back in the Alley”), though they recently put out a retrospective vinyl compilation. I must admit, they were off my radar until I heard them on this here godspunk, but having since sampled some other songs, I shall try my best to track down more of their old gear, as it’s pretty groovy!
Dresden Kirk ft. the taurus board - not sure who Dresden Kirk may be, as “Normalized3” seems to be their only credit (on Discogs, anyway), but whatever the case, said taurus board collab sounds a heck of a lot like something the latter might've cooked up on their own back in the 2000s, err, that is to say it sounds very '90s in its upbeat, clubby squelchiness! This is fine and plays its part well in the sonic smorgasbord that is godspunk, but in truth it doesn't excite me too much - I'm a fairly fussy fecker when it comes to dance / techno stuff and unfortunately, this doesn't quite hit the mark for what I like.
Conclusion - so, what to make of this, the first ever double-disc godspunk?! Well, happily for me, it’s pretty much overflowing with the kinda stuff I love - particularly of the weirdo electronic jiggery-pokery variety . . . indeed, this may be the most avant-friendly godspunk to date! Throw in a raggle-taggle bunch of rough-arsed rock cuts, a handful of precious ambient jewels and a smattering of truly unclassifiable WTF-ery and we’re talking probably one of the finest volumes of all!

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 24th May 2020
First, a disclaimer: I was not in the mood to listen to this disc and write a review. I am in the midst of working on tracks for our 11th EP and frankly this godspunk business was a distraction for which I had scant time . . . but (sigh) I relented and decided if I didn’t do it now then pStan and his pals might have to wait weeks before I submitted my review. However, the sheer variety that pervades the first six tracks changed my attitude completely . . . and then Bingo Crepuscule appeared. Zounds! Instantly I was in precisely the right frame of mind to listen to this disc. Well done, chaps and chapesses.
Second, a technical note: I always listen to a godspunk from start to finish first through headphones and then through speakers as occasionally tracks offer subtly (and sometimes radically) different experiences when heard via alternative mediums. Only then do I provide my responses to the tracks.
Third, for contributors new to my reviews: please do not interpret my marks out of ten as qualitative evaluations of your work. They are not. I give marks out of ten as calibrations of my personal musical preferences since then my remarks and observations can be regarded with greater fidelity. I realise this sounds ineffably pompous but it is important (at least to me) that contributors realise it is never my intention to insult or ridicule their work. On the contrary I have total respect for personal creativity and I would never disparage people engaged in it, despite my aversion to 90% of music that is not baroque or modern classical.
Harsh Noise Movement - Alf Garnett Love Triangle
Disparate taped voices backed by short wave radio and other indistinct noises . . . we’re in Nurse With Wound and Lemon Kittens territory (and that constitutes high praise from me). After a minute or so, this begins to adopt a really malevolent mien . . . I imagine a hospital waiting room where the doctors are all members of a secret fascist organisation . . . this ought to be tedious because it is so repetitive yet, oddly, I am never bored by it. The volume levels of its respective components alter slightly over time and the effect is one of disquiet and anxiety. 7/10
The Lettuce Vultures - Where Eagles Dare Not
As an amateur ornithologist, I have to be sympathetic toward a group who feature vultures in their name and eagles in their song title . . . don’t I? Does anybody here remember an amusing group from the late 1970s called The Swell Maps? Well, imagine they were American instead of hailing from Leamington Spa. An impassioned vocal howls and sneers over an acoustic guitar backed with strangely irritating noises off-stage like members of a school band rehearsing (ineptly) in the next room. It provides a splendid contrast to the taurus board. ‘Just think about it, you moron.’ While definitely not my type of music, there’s a playful, spiteful quality to this I do enjoy. 5/10
Satanik Seagull Sekt - Baptised In Seagvll Shit
Well, we’ve had vultures and eagles so now let’s hear it for seagulls . . . even if they are Satanic Seagvlls. Imagine a 1980s Pet Commodore computer game tried to include a heavy metal song as part of the soundtrack to a computer game . . . it might sound rather like this. Argh, it’s bloody horrible! However, two minutes in, the style changes and we’re in mid-seventies rock guitar slow tempo mode although still via that frigging Pet Commodore. This is the most bizarre and eccentric track on here, at least so far. What on Earth is that vocalist screeching? Ye Gods, there are six and a half minutes of this, too. Near the end waves roll onto the sea shore accompanied by gulls . . . presumably diabolic in origin . . . which bring the piece to a devilish avian conclusion. 1/10
Nil by Nose - Journey
A voice-over (as in a film or television drama) recites a series of observations on a morning at a train station (Victoria to Milton Keynes) while wind, recorder, voices and other indistinct noises provide quiet commentaries in the background. Nil by Nose are frequent contributors to godspunk and I usually find their work . . . um . . . difficult to assimilate. This is absolutely brilliant. It is easily my favourite Nil by Nose track, far above and beyond anything else I’ve heard by them. Here the narrator is clearly isolated from the other people he encounters, all of whom are irrelevant to him because their worlds and his are so different and incompatible. This is epitomised when he meets the landlord at the end: ‘oh, you do music - my son sings in all the local clubs’. The narrator does not include his reaction to this trite announcement - it isn’t required. We know what he thinks of it. For best results, this really needs to be heard through headphones. The sounds that accompany the narrator are always very quiet and very subtle and therein resides the power of this magnificent piece. Anyone totally new to godspunk will not find any Nil by Nose tracks even remotely similar to this among their previous contributions . . . which reveals the extent of their imagination. My only caveat is very occasionally the voice needs to be slightly louder or more distinct. 9/10 (and it would be the full 10 if the voice was slightly louder or more distinct).
the taurus board - Mirakil
Listeners relatively new to godspunk will not recognise the name of this outfit but for the first five or six editions [nine, actually - Ed], each one featured a taurus board track and we at UNIT headquarters invariably greeted each new disc with joy for that reason - we usually saved these tracks until the end because we wanted to finish with a flourish. A definite 1990s acid rave groove informed all their works which why the Chinese teenagers who were members of UNIT at that time were so enthusiastic about the tracks. That groove is largely absent here. Instead what we have is a mid tempo rock inflected number with a grumbling bass and disjointed, fragmented keyboard and guitar figures that sound to me like part of a soundtrack to a film. After nearly a decade of absence, the taurus board offer a restrained, introverted return to godspunk with this rumbling instrumental groove. 8/10
The Large Veiny Members - Accomplished In A Year
I am pleased this bunch continue to be regular contributors to godspunk even though I am often not enamoured by their musical idiom. Well, who cares about my eccentric musical taste anyway? That’s not important. What we have here is a drum machine, distant, disjointed voices (which really ought to be louder in my opinion) and dream / trance keyboards . . . reminds me of music heard indistinctly from next door while one reclines in bed with 'flu, neither asleep nor awake. That is an observation, not a criticism. 3/10
The Large Veiny Members - Difficult To Say
Take a drum machine and a couple of synthesiser keyboards . . . add a taped voice in a HitT style et voila: you have this . . . er . . . whatever it is. All right, let’s be honest, I find this really tedious but that is a comment on my musical preferences, not on the content of this piece. I think I’d prefer it bereft of those irritating taped voices, actually. Taken in the context of this collection, it does provide an electronic contrast to Johnny and his Kaprikorns or the pristine pop song warblings of UNIT so that’s grand. 2/10
Johnny & The Kaprikorns - Misery
What kind of music do you normally feature on godspunk? Oh, here we have both kinds: country and western. Combine Leonard Cohen with a typical Nashville outfit . . . which means this is absolutely not my kind of music at all. I am allergic to country and western while Leonard Cohen sees me right out of the door. That said, this is done in a crisp, professional manner and will appeal to fans of this genre although they may prefer the vocal to be louder in the mix. In its favour, this is country and western in its original form, i.e. divested of the glossy, slick productions that pervaded such examples of the genre in the 1970s. 3/10
Johnny & The Kaprikorns - Jock Stewart
Yeehaa! We’re in Cajun country . . . New Orleans folk music circa 1940 replete with banjo, washboard and whistling. I wish the vocals were more distinct and much more prominent in the mix. I actually like this . . . much to my surprise. 6/10 (but it would be a higher score if I could hear the singer properly).
Johnny & The Kaprikorns - Weetabix Head
Acoustic guitar, ukulele and mandolin provide a rustic accompaniment to a singer who (yet again) is mixed far too quietly for my taste. The fellow can evidently sing so let’s hear him. This really isn’t my kind of music so I have to struggle to be fair here but other than the murky depths to which all three of their tracks thrust their poor singer, they offer a triumvirate of American old time country and folk that I don’t believe I’ve ever encountered on previous godspunks and therefore they are a definite asset to the collection. 2/10
UNIT - The Witness
Christ, this sounds (almost) like punk rock in places, as if pStan discovered an obscure punk track circa 1985, dusted it down and gave it a 21st century production specially for this disc. Seriously I am still rather proud of this piece although I admit the text is of higher quality than the music but one element spoils it: my feeble, warbling caterwaul. Imagine if this was sung by a real singer (like, say, Liam Gallagher) instead of a croaking ninny with the voice of a Meadow Pipit. 8/10
UNIT - Breaking Barriers
I wrote this ancient anthem in 1987 - probably before many of you were born! Christ, what a concept. For once my saxophone playing isn’t too wretched although my voice still reminds me of a homosexual crow with influenza. Fortunately I am supported by a solid backing from Keilan, Fritz and Colin so that’s grand. The text is hopelessly idealistic, of course, but it depicts life in England at a time when we enjoyed far more freedom than we do now. Also, thank you, pStan, for placing this after Bingo Crepuscule - the contrast is stark and highly effective. 8/10
UNIT - The Island
I wrote this bleak ballad in 1981 shortly after I was discharged from Springfield Psychiatric Hospital. It was the very first piece of music I ever wrote that did not end up in the rubbish bin. For once my singing is not wretched (although still severely limited in range) and the lads offer a superb rendition of the piece. Fritz merits special praise for his restrained bass guitar playing despite it taking the lead melody throughout the piece. Colin switches to vibraphone for this piece (it was never intended to feature drums) and although this is the fourth or fifth time we have recorded this work since its debut in 1982, this is the definitive account. 9/10
UNIT - Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes
It is difficult for me to be objective in response to this piece. It is also impossible to avoid the cloying effect of self-praise but I’m going to announce it anyway: this is one of the very best works I have ever written and the lads offer an absolutely superb performance of it. My keyboard playing is decent enough, too but (sigh, weep, wail, grumble) oh, I do so wish I had a decent voice and I do so wish I could sing properly. I know how the voices ought to sound (in my head) but no matter what I do, no matter how often I try, again and again, it sounds . . . um . . . like this. I rate this among the top ten best texts I’ve ever written so it deserves a decent singer. Actually, a female vocalist would be appropriate for this but I’m not having the operation and that’s final. My devotion to the group only goes so far, after all. The target for this lyric is the media - including social media, all those news reporters and newspaper journalists who wallow in the misery and suffering of other people purely because it boosts sales and viewing figures. 10/10
Howl in The typewriter - Amnesiac Smile
godspunk collections invariably start and end with HitT. This offers a fine start with its slightly obscure lyric, burbling keyboard and typically raucous vocals that ooze sarcasm with a cynical observation on fear and paranoia: ‘we had to commit suicide in order to survive’. I liked that bit. Musically this falls between avant gardening and a pop song without being either so it’s a bit of a platypus . . . yes, but which bit? You decide. 7/10.
Howl in the Typewriter - Bingo Crepuscule
Throbbing Gristle (circa Jazz Funk Greats) . . . The Lemon Kittens (circa The Big Dentist) . . . Nurse With Wound . . . The Nocturnal Emissions . . . are all evoked in this magnificent slice of sheer avant garde eccentricity with its gulls, waves, church bells, ship horns, fragmented voices, tuba and other assorted sounds in a collage of immense complexity. This is beyond doubt the best HitT track I have encountered (so far). It is utterly astonishing (in my biased opinion). In UNIT we often attempt to impress ourselves (and hopefully others) with displays of technical virtuosity but this piece proves instrumental proficiency is not necessary, indeed superfluous (and can actually amount to nothing more than empty sonic gestures - yes, occasionally we are guilty of that, I admit it). Heard through headphones, this is even better - some of the intricate details become clearer. When the music box fades in at the end, one is left with a sense of nostalgia and almost unbearable loneliness. Ye Gods, this is, in the words of Ron Weasley, bloody brilliant. 10/10
Howl in the Typewriter - All Cahoot And Scrunty
Sundry percussion, strange synthesiser burbles and a hint of a 1980s dance groove are filtered through an acid rave thingie . . . taped voices are a frequent feature of HitT tracks and they are BLOODY ANNOYING. This would work much more effectively as a purely instrumental piece. When the tempo suddenly slows down (an unexpected element in a work of this genre) it takes me by surprise . . . which I’ve ruined for you now I’ve revealed it, of course . . . but after barely two minutes I find myself intensely bored by this, despite the complex amalgam of disparate sound sources that clash and collide with each other. 4/10
Howl in the Typewriter - Howl in the Typewriter
On the first three editions of godspunk there were contributions from LDB, a rapper whose slabs of grime and hip hop provided a noble contrast to everything else on each disc. Sadly, he retired from music to concentrate on writing . . . so now pStan engages with the genre and ye gods, he succeeds with admirable aplomb. This is superb! How many words rhyme with ‘writer’? It is a clever parody of the arrogant conceit of so many rappers eager to tell us all how great they are with, for example, this announcement: ‘fish tremble at the sound of my name’. If my lyric for Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes is clever, well, there are moments in this that surpass it. Really, this would work as a poem in its own right but when muttered and spat venomously over a grumbling rumbling breakbeat like this, the effect is electric, awe inspiring and at times hilarious. 9/10
All right, let’s not waste any further time. For me, there are 3 tracks on this disc followed by ‘everyone and everything else’. This is not to insult, dismiss or demean the other tracks here. Our own Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes is among them because it is easily one of the best works I have ever written and the performance is mandatory . . . but I’m sufficiently familiar with it (all those bloody rehearsals) for the impact to be dulled somewhat. The real surprise here (for me) was Nil by Nose with Journey and, of course, Bingo Crepuscule by HitT which I have now played five times in succession. Yes, that’s how much I am impressed by it. Then I played Howl in the Typewriter again . . . and again. Honestly, pStan has superseded all previous contributions this time around with two magnificent pieces.
As for The Large Veiny Members, if new listeners read my comments and happen to sympathise with them, please don’t be deterred - instead, check out their contributions to previous editions and you will not fail to notice the variety and range of their styles, an impressive achievement given the idiom in which they choose to work.
Then there are Johnny & The Kaprikorns who are able to bring 1940s American folk and country music to the proceedings without every descending into mere pastiche. Despite my aversion to the genre, I genuinely hope they offer contributions to future godspunk collections because quite frankly I’ve never heard any other contributor indulge in this kind of music and it expands further the range of styles and idioms available on each compilation. Yes, they are a major discovery able to provide an excellent contrast to the usual contributors (including ourselves).
Anyway, if I had to select three editions of godspunk from volumes one to twenty-one in order to impress a new listener, this would definitely be among them. It is one of the strongest contenders yet with not a single weak or disposable track on it . . . which almost compensates for my rotten singing. Part of this enthusiasm is a response to the welcome return of the taurus board after so many (too many) years. Please, ttb, give us a track (or two or three) for godspunk volume twenty-two . . . and godspunk volume twenty-three . . . and . . . you know what I mean. Finally, do I have any complaints? Only one: where is Data’s Cat? A godspunk bereft of a Data’s Cat track is a godspunk with an integral aspect omitted. I really hope he returns for volume twenty-two.

 - Review by Idwal Fisher, July 2020
. . . and then pStan goes and sends me [the new godspunk album] anyway. 
So what to do? Do I burn my ears once more with the ridiculous UNIT, a band so deliberately obtuse they make Yes sound like Status Quo doing Derek Bailey, do I roll my eyes across the words The Large Veiny Members and wonder who the fuck would ever want to be in a band with a name like that? Oh and here's the taurus board who seem to prefer lower case and pStan’s own project Howl in the Typewriter who sound much better stripped down but that's hardly ever. They’re all still there bursting with energy and pride all of them waiting to unleash their music on me . . . so I thought I’d give it a listen. What harm could it do? Its not like my calendar’s bursting with social engagements these days and then there's always the urge to see if UNIT have got any better. Spoiler alert, they haven’t. If you like bands that in one song can go through ten key changes, twelve genre changes, five shifts in tempo and have a singer who sounds like the kind of person waiting to pounce on you in the pub so that he can tell you about his run in with the pigs at the CND rally in Hoxton then this is the band for you. If not avoid. 
As for the rest; Johnny and the Kaprikorns are a straight up and down shit kicking country band, Satanik Seagvll Sekt starts out all electro/punk and ends anthemic on seagull sounds, Harsh Noise Movement loop sounds to hypnotic effect, the taurus board is all digital reggae and The Large Veiny Members make Orb sounds for Glastonbury stoners. Saving my ears from total torment are Lettuce Vultures with some decent Yankee rawk thrash and Nil by Nose whose trip up north for a funeral is a spoken word piece of some significance with observations from his journey put to a soundtrack of synthy electronica. There’s a fridge magnet and booklets too, pStan puts a lot of work into these releases but as before, they’re just not for me.

 - Review by Jamie Azzopardi, typed in fits and starts between summer 2020 and spring 2022
Howl in the Typewriter - a neat quartet of Howl pieces await us on this most curious 21st shiny silver disc of various artist wonderment, beginning in fine songular fashion with the massively detailed psychedelicised electrorock of "Amnesiac Smile". Shades of Psychic TV and New Order abound, before we enter choppier territory, with more proggy time signature action than you can shake a 20ft barge pole at! Meanwhile, "Bingo Crepuscule" plays out like a long-lost section of "Spiral Insana", being a chaotic, yet weirdly blissful collage of music boxes tinkling, French people talking, geese honking, flies buzzing, horns beeping, trumpets trumping, horse hooves trotting, church bells chiming, water gushing, ambient synths err, synthing(??), not to mention some poor sod screaming in abject agony. Most satisfying! "All Cahoot and Scrunty" starts life firmly in the domain of classic Squarepusher, Venetian Snares etc, with brooding synth pads hovering like city smog over complex programmed beats, before the music box makes a reappearance, the drum machine gets slowwwwwwwwer and more fractured and the whole thing unmasks itself as a bizarre cover version of "The Sound of Music"! The posh sampled voices on this remind me of the ones Gus Coma used to great effect on his "Color Me Coma" tape back in t'day. Rounding things off is a self-titled 7+ minute hip-hop mini epic, with pStan toastin' and boastin' over phat, filthy, flatulent synth work, loping beats . . . actually, there’s so damned much going on here, both musically and lyrically, that it’d be futile of me to even attempt to sum it up, so if it sounds like you might be into this, just GIVE IT A LISTEN! What I will say though is kudos to pStan for getting the mighty TINA TURNER to guest on this tune! WHO KNEW she was part of Howl’s inner circle?!
Johnny and the Kaprikorns - wowee . . . just two songs in and the godspunk massive has already got itself a fresh project AND a fresh sound to sink its teeth into! "Misery" is none other than a rootsy country rock snippet, which sounds like it's shooting for a wasted "Exile on Main St." / "Basement Tapes" kind of feel . . . later on, the banjo and fiddle-powered hoedown "Jock Stewart" takes us even further 'up country', whilst "Weetabix Head" is a cute country-folk-pop number, bringing to mind "Disciples of California"-era Skygreen Leopards (via a certain early Beatles hit).
UNIT - the first couple of songs here mark the welcome return of distorted electric guitar into UNIT's sound world! Of these, "The Witness" is a particularly fine effort, contrasting harmony-laden punky Soft Boys-isms with quieter vibraphone-lead passages. The Robert Wyatt-cum-Brian Wilson synth and bass ballad "The Island" sports an utterly lovely chord sequence and a gorgeous harmonic middle, whilst the 9 minute epic "Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes" consists of all manner of breakneck, barnstorming prog punk goings on, bringing to mind Seventh Wave in its synth-ier sections and proudly sporting a loooooong showcase for bass guitar circa the 4 minute mark. Great show, chaps!
The Large Veiny Members - LVM weigh in with a pair of '80s-style EBM / industrial sonic constructions, all buzzing synths and perky drum machine riddims. Play these over some bleak, monochromatic dystopian / Cyberpunk movie and I expect you'll be laughin' at the bloomin' *symbiosis* of it all . . .
the taurus board - back after a long-ass absence (last heard from on 2010's volume nine, according to my calculations!), the loose, mid-tempo funky fusion groover "Mirakil" is quite the departure from the ambient techno tb of old . . . aye - stick a flute solo over this and it could almost be a Data's Cat tune!
Lettuce Vultures - the Misfits-referencing Trump-slam "Where Eagles Dare Not" is a stoned 'n' dust-blasted Meat Puppets-cum-Holy Modal Rounders-esque lo-fi acoustic ditty, backed by a loop of what sounds suspiciously like plundered Beatle trumpets! This ain't bad, but I think I prefer their fried electric material from the last volume . . .
Nil by Nose - dark synth ambience lurches and grumbles in the background as Carl narrates a tale of a trip up North to attend a friend's funeral, which is by turns very poignant and very funny. I particularly like the bit about being on the train and having to hold in a ghastly fart, so as to spare some poor unfortunate a lungful of egg gas (what can I say - it happens to the best of us). For my money, this is one of his strongest solo works to date.
Satanik Seagvll Sekt - another new name brings forth another new sound! Propelled by insectoid drum machine and surges of flaming fuzz guitar, the first part of this black metal 'baptism' has a similar dead-eyed forward motion as the early work of the strange Russian mob Blackdeath, or MIDI-era Black Funeral, whilst the second movement is way more sluggish and depressive sounding, its endlessly repeated, harmonised grind overlaid with miserable howling. The song ends on a more ambient note, with synthesized flutes and gull cries floating atop distorted radio crackle and sloshing sea noise.
Harsh Noise Movement - if you're one of those sonic endurance masochists who's already sucked up everything by Bull of Heaven, Merzbow, John Zorn, Wolf Eyes and that bleedin' Noël Akchoté fella and you're looking for your next vast discographical fix, then I suggest digging into what Ade Rowe has to offer - his output as Harsh Noise Movement (just one of his many projects) is a brain-boggling, ear-shredding 200 releases deep, whilst his HNM label barfed out that many CD-Rs, tapes and digital collections in 2016 alone! "Alf Garnett Love Triangle", his debut godspunk contribution, is a compact, early Hafler Trio / NWW-ish assemblage of oddness, with a sample of an American chap enjoying a spot of dinner looping alongside spooky old telephone / numbers station buzzes and chirrups. How very strange and alienating!
Conclusion - look out, it’s food metaphor time again . . . alongside the customary “light bite” sonic snacks and side dishes, there’s a heck of a lot of meat on the bone here - tonnes of big, juicy compositions, full of flavour - sometimes sweet, sometimes salty . . . sometimes with a HOT, spicy kick . . . lots to chew on . . . as for the dessert, that’s also delicious, but blimey - you might want to save some for tomorrow . . . the size of it! Hmm - all of which *roughly* translates as THIS VOLUME IS VERY GOOD INDEED AND I THINK YOU OUGHT TO BUY A COPY, POST HASTE!

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 17th August 2019
Initially I sent pStan a review of godspunk volume twenty on 14th August after I’d listened to the album through speakers. On Saturday 17th August, after the test match, I listened to it again only this time through headphones. As a consequence I’ve modified my review and also corrected a few minor errors I made at the time.
godspunk volume twenty: a celebration of 20 albums in 16 years. So pStan, how does it feel to release 1.25 albums every 365 days? We’ve returned to orange for the colour scheme, the inner pages replete with art of the same high level of quality we now expect from each release. As I peruse the various artists who contribute this time, it occurs to me to add up the number of different people who have submitted tracks to the series ever since volume one in 2003. Then it occurs to me only a train-spotter or a Doctor Who fan would do that . . . so I don’t. (Us Grange Hill fans are far more suave and sophisticated, mate.)
[ - So far, up to volume twenty, there have been 113 different artistes featured on godspunk. Some of these artistes, however, have used multiple aliases for their work so a truer number of different contributors would be nearer to 70 (it's difficult to be exact as I don't fully understand the family trees of the individuals and bands concerned) - ED, who is neither a train-spotter nor Doctor Who fan.]
The absence of John Tree and Data’s Cat virtually screams at me here . . . and just what did happen to the taurus board anyway? I suspect he’s been abducted by acolytes of Cthulhu or, less plausibly, exhausted his supply of ideas . . . for the present. I vote volume twenty-one features the return of John Tree, Data’s Cat and the taurus board. So there. This time I shall approach each track in the order they appear on the album. Note: the marks out of ten represent only my personal musical preferences and do not denote levels of quality or technical ability.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Anglerfish. Hello, it’s 1997 again. Well, while the taurus board are temporarily moribund, instead we have a replacement (apparently) until suddenly a heavy metal groove gate-crashes the party, alternating with 21st century techno. ‘My eyes are like headlights shining into your soul.’ If this track is autobiographical (and I suspect it is) then I’m really glad I’ve never had relationships like those pStan has endured. 8/10
 - Nil by Nose - Beatnicks In Space. There’s a late 1990s acid rave flavour to this, too. I can see why pStan programmed this track to follow his one. Strange voices are dubbed over equally strange keyboards and drum machine whose dialogue adds a 1950’s mien to this science fiction B film presentation. I can’t resist smiling when this plays . . . which on my face can hardly be a pleasant sight. 5/10
 - UNIT - Amery Hill School. Well, this soon eradicates any joviality. I still find it impossible to listen to this without a snarl of white hot fury. I think this is one of the most angry tracks I’ve ever written. Every word of it is true . . . unfortunately. (Note to that daft Dutch reviewer: no, this track doesn’t keep going out of time - it’s mainly in 7/4, you dick-head.) The quote from the 1st movement of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony near the end is relevant but I’m buggered if I’m going to explain it here. I dedicate this to every listener who suffered humiliation, intimidation and verbal or physical abuse at school. 9/10
 - Lettuce Vultures - Just Stare At Your Phone. Yes and that’s what 70% of the general public seem to do these days - ogle at little screens on black plastic devices while real life passes by, unnoticed, erased, resigned to eternity etc. Right then, let’s do this: take Flipper, add The Butthole Surfers then shred them through the filter of Bad Brains and sprinkle it with Throbbing Gristle. I think the real composer of this track is probably Yog Sothoth for who else could be responsible for such crawling chaos? This sounds even more effective through headphones . . . either that or it simply fries brain cells faster that way. Initially I awarded this track 7/10 but it improves with repeated listens. Now it merits 8/10.
 - Dr. Awkward - You Make My Teeth Itch. Electronic drum patterns and malevolent keyboard sounds redolent of Portion Control, Test Department and The Lemon Kittens combined with a 21st century production render this number oddly timeless. Its relentless violence might have been recorded any time between 1983 and the present. 4/10
 - Blue Eyes of the Broken Gonk - A Wolf Giving Birth to Fifteen Blue Feathered Marbles. What kind of title is that for a godspunk submission? Probably a highly appropriate one. A gentle guitar filigree over limpid keyboard phrases nestle uneasily with oddly disconcerting noises off-stage, dominated by a pair of violins, one bowed, one plucked. This is a most unusual amalgam of (almost) folk tune and avant-garde soundscape. What I particularly enjoy here is that the piece gradually changes in style and idiom quite radically throughout its duration so that near its conclusion we are in a profoundly different sonic environment (dominated by harsh electronics) to that which commenced the piece . . . then the guitar and keyboard return as if to remind us of the start but this, too, is interrupted by a mutated rock riff that hammers the other music into oblivion. This is a really intriguing and highly interesting piece. My only (minor) complaint is that it ought to be a couple of minutes longer. 9/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Freeloaders. ‘The bible is only bile with an extra b.’ I award extra marks for that alone . . . which, given my opinion of the music, is fortunate because I loathe it. Frigging acoustic guitar frigging strummed for nearly 3 minutes argh no, please. The pity is that the lyric is utterly superb (but then pStan usually writes highly articulate and often very witty lyrics anyway) but the music (sigh), the music . . . ugh . . . yet in its favour is the contrast its stark simplicity provides when set against many of the formidably electronic sounds that squeak, burp, warble and ululate across the disc elsewhere. Then again maybe I’m just peeved because I can’t play the guitar, especially acoustic ones. 3/10 for the music, 8/10 for the lyric.
 - UNIT - The Greenfinch. It is odd pStan should choose to follow his simple acoustic track with one of the most slow, gentle ballads I’ve ever written although it does work. I very rarely write music like this. The bass guitar was recorded in Bremen, Germany and the woodwind parts were recorded in Osaka, Japan while the keyboards and vocals were recorded in Inverbervie, Scotland. I then returned to London and added the Greenfinch and Willow Warbler. Daft I call it. Oh but I wish I could sing properly. 7/10
 - Infected Youth - Evil Gods Of Darkness have Mercy. Is this a plea for said gods to have mercy or a statement of fact: evil gods of darkness have mercy? I suspect the former to be the case here. Here we have another instance of time travel - late 1960s idiomatic music is dropped into the 21st century and given the electronic treatment. My primary complaint here is the vocals: they are mixed far too low. Let’s hear them! Otherwise I do find this rather repetitive but this does create a slightly hypnotic groove. 4/10
 - Mutant Beatniks - Cosmic Orders. Well, we were warned about those beatnicks from space earlier, weren’t we? Here they are playing a procession of cool jazz, punk rhythms, acid rave beats and industrial sounds all filtered through a psychedelic mixer until strange electronic sounds gradually rise above the threshold of human hearing only to return near the end of the piece. This is music performed by reptilian beings on their spacecraft en route to us from Sirius B . . . reptilian beings definitely inebriated by whatever foul and loathsome alcoholic concoction they’ve brewed during their long and arduous journey. The gradual transitions from one idiom to another make this a companion to the Blue Eyed Gonk with its blue feathered marbles but these lizard appear to have lost theirs! 6/10
 - The Large Veiny Members - A Salads Pucker. Is the title an anagram? The presence of this group completes a trilogy of cocks for this album - the others provided by the back cover illustration by pStan (no doubt to suggest a dick-head) and our own Akira sitting on the train with his own large member poking out of the right leg of his shorts. Notice how I type twaddle about phalluses because I find it quite difficult to describe (at least in charitable terms) this very repetitive electronic mess that trudges wearily along for over 6 minutes. It does have a slight 20 Jazz Funk Greats atmosphere to it (which from me is a compliment) but for me, this quickly becomes very tedious. Well, come on, chaps, what reaction can you expect from an Oasis fan? 2/10 through speakers. 5/10 through headphones.
 - Dr. Awkward - Dickie-The-Fence Timeslip. At only a minute long, blink or cough and you miss this. I gain the distinct impression of 5 or 6 late 1960s organ led instrumental ‘b’ sides played simultaneously. It ought to be a mindless racket but in fact it is highly effective. My complaint here is that it is far too brief . . . which means it is a compliment, of course. 7/10
 - UNIT - The Quasar. Excuse me while I go all Noel Gallagher on yo’ ass. I consider this to be one of the best purely instrumental works I’ve ever written and the lads perform it quite superbly. Mind you, my saxophone playing is . . . um . . . not quite so superb although it just about makes the grade, if you don’t listen too closely. Complaint: the cymbals are too loud, the drums and bass guitar too quiet. I suspect a remix is due on the horizon. 8/10
 - TWDC - Spunknik Stink Shyte. Why do 2 of our tracks here not have any drums on them? Because the drum parts were swiped and shoved onto this crawling chaos instead. There is even a budgie which creates a mutated link to UNIT. pStan makes a guest appearance on drums on this mess but really, I find this difficult to tolerate. It sounds as if some of the players perform live while the vocalist (and that budgie) are overdubbed. Honestly, pStan, is it really necessary for your pal to swear so loudly and abundantly so often? The final third of this piece is far more effective (when all those drums and bongos return) although I’m not sure why - I’m not a fan of drums and percussion usually. 3/10
 - Blue Eyes of the Broken Gonk - Bog-Eyed Friar. The Graham Bond Organisation once made an appearance in a truly abysmal 1960s film called Gonks Go Beat. I just thought I’d share that with you. Here we have more gentle guitar work accompanied by distant, off stage sounds in the background . . . but in this instance the coalition is less effective (to my ears anyway) although I can’t decide why this should be. 4/10 through headphones yet, oddly, 6/10 through speakers.
 - UNIT - Barbara’s Bridge. Oh, it’s us again . . . so soon? Yes, this track follows Bog-Eyed Friar nicely so I can see why it’s placed here. I write slow, gentle ballads about once every 5 years on average so it’s unheard of for me to write 2 in the same year, both of which appear on this collection. Barbara Jackson was a lovely (if occasionally violent) girl who befriended me at school in the late 1970s. She once played the Invention In Bb by J S Bach while taking occasional swigs of scotch from a plastic cup plus frequent drags from one of her Dunhill cigarettes. My kind of girl! If I had to list the top 10 tracks I’d ever written, this would easily rank among the top 5. Once again, my singing (as I laughably refer to it) adversely affects the piece yet despite that, I still enjoy this ballad. It’s especially rewarding to hear Keilan, Fritz and Colin on 3 different bass guitars. 9/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Beowulf. Now to totally wreck the mood . . . but only musically. The lyric, being primarily a childhood memory, is related to Barbara’s Bridge, isn’t it? There’s even a mention of snowflakes near the end which creates a further link to my ballad. Musically this is harsh with its relentless drum beat and malevolent synthesiser growls at odds with the singing style and gentle lyric although there remains a slice of spite underneath it: ‘Do you remember the time, the time when nothing happened at all?’ Yes, one can never accuse pStan of being soppy or sentimental. 7/10
 - Dr. Awkward - Cybermonktime. Aye, it’s a harmonium . . . but not as we know, it, Jim. The growling harmonium is suddenly assaulted by a few wallops on a drum near the end which cause me to ask: what on Earth is it all about? Most odd. 3/10
 - Infected Youth - Evokation Of the Massed Gods Of Darkness. Hello, it’s those frigging gods of darkness again, back from their tea break . . . or blood break, perhaps. Musically this is so similar to the other track I wonder if it might be the second part of it. I’ll have to listen to the pair in succession because I think they might prove more effective. I still wish those vocals were louder, though. This sounds less 1960s, more 2010s . . . less Herman’s Hermits, more Scriabin, which is what we want, natürlich. 5/10 through speakers, 7/10 through headphones.
 - Lettuce Vultures - Leisurely Waiting. This is post-punk eccentricity shredded through a colander by a studio engineer high on LSD 25. Für mich, this is either too short or too long; it depends how you listen to it. I’d like the vocal to be slightly louder, too. This bunch are definitely interesting and certainly they don’t sound like any other group I’ve heard, if they are a group - so many godspunk contributors these days seem to be individuals able to sing and play everything themselves, which is extremely impressive . . . the bastards. What, jealous - me? You bet I am! 6/10
 - Nil by Nose - Drizzle Rider. Well, we’ve had plenty of snow so now it’s time for rain. What an inclement album this is! This is extremely similar to the other Nil by Nose track and just as irritating. I’d like that voice to be louder - much louder. Musically I prefer this to its predecessor: the disparate growls, rumbles and warbles create a rather more varied and interesting melange. 6/10
 - UNIT - A Study Of Alkaline Metals. It’s Noel Gallagher time again: this is brilliant. I find it incredible I could write such a pop song as this although a large amount of praise must be reserved for Keilan, Fritz and Colin for their contributions to the performance. I admit the lyric is not one of my best although it does contain some effective couplets. My favourite part is the chorus (so far as the lyric is concerned). Along with Barbara’s Bridge this is one of the best pieces I’ve ever written . . . which means most of you will probably hate it . . . but I hope you don’t! The chemistry is correct, incidentally. 9/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Loaves Of Bread. Here we go - thumping thundering growls and groans mit fuzz tone bass guitar and crashing drums in a compound metre now and then which is definitely designed to appeal to me. What the hell is this lyric about then? I’ve really no idea but perhaps that is part of its charm. 7/10
Question: what is the purpose of that strange dedication that appears on the tray card? I can agree with all of it except for the policemen and the butcher although I suspect I’ve missed the point entirely. After my 2nd listen to these tracks, only then did I notice the quote from The Greenfinch on the inside of the tray card - 'fragmented and disjointed'.
In summation there is one aspect of this collection that is instantly apparent once one has listened to it from start to finish: it is easily the most gentle and restrained instalment to date. There are more quiet, slow, gentle and introspective tracks here than appear on any previous godspunk. Does this mean volume twenty-one will contain hardcore punk rock, heavy metal and power electronics? Probably not . . . but then again . . . I defy anyone to predict what it will contain. Even when familiar contributors appear, surprises accompany them. I would not expect a Howl in the Typewriter track to feature only a voice and acoustic guitar, bereft of any harsh or strange electronic sounds. The absence of drums on 2 of our tracks might be unexpected and, of course, with Nil by Nose and The Large Veiny Members, it is impossible to predict what their submissions will contain . . . which speaks in their favour, of course.
I will omit my usual ‘top tracks’ list this time because most of them would be ours and there is a limit to how conceited even I will allow myself to be. The variety is still apparent here although I think the absence of any real rockers, extreme electronics or avant garde works does affect the collection adversely . . . but pStan can only work with what he’s given and we must shoulder a significant part of the blame for this, me and my Greenfinch, Willow Warber and Bridges.
My box of discs came with a free copy of a dissertation by Tim Thompson on The Azathoth Cycle which, despite its meticulous research and diligent attention to detail, causes me to froth at the mouth and gnash my teeth in a dark corner. I’m a student of science and a passionate exponent of rationality, intensely hostile to religion, the occult and all that sundry kerfuffle. I did read the collected works of H P Lovecraft in the late 1980s and I found most of them profoundly entertaining. 'At The Mountains Of Madness' is a masterpiece, for example. However, I also read (or tried to read) 2 books by Aleister Crowley, primarily to try to comprehend the attraction but both tomes were so ineffably tedious and full of utter nonsense, I could not finish either of them. Ye Gods, they were so abysmal I can’t even remember their titles. I think one might be 777. I dismiss C G Jung as a buffoon. True, he’s a clever buffoon but he is to psychology what country and western is to racial harmony. I worked in Homerton Psychiatric Hospital for 22 years so I am not a complete novice here.
However, as an academic dissertation it is superb, a finely crafted text replete with charts, illustrations, diagrams, references and footnotes. The rigorous (almost fanatical) attention to detail in the piece is formidable. This chap has evidently done his research and then some. What I find therefore so ironic is that all that effort, all that sheer hard work, should be expended on a wheen o’ blethers, a pile of pish that ought to be sent back to the middle ages where it belongs. It is the 21st century and by now scientific rational inquiry should have replaced 100% of religion, mysticism and supernatural nonsense. I find it utterly incredible that in the 2nd decade of the 21st century anyone can believe in ghosts, gods, demons, UFOs, extra-terrestrials and Pan knows what else. Honestly, I really do not mean to be insulting to Mr Thompson (although I suspect I have been) but I am a student of science, particularly physics and astronomy. I spent the 1990s producing a series of magazines called Smile designed to promote rational, scientific inquiry. This means I am biased, perhaps unfairly unbiased, against this kind of subject. For students of occulture, Lovecraft and Crowley, I am convinced this dissertation provides essential reading. May it provide more enjoyment and enlightenment than it gave me!
In my review I have tried to be fair in my descriptions of each track because I want people to purchase copies of every godspunk collection. None of my observations, comments and descriptions (some of which I admit are extremely flippant) are intended to deride or insult any of the contributors, most of whom I suspect are technically superior musicians to myself so I am obliged to be cautious in my criticism. For new readers to this site, if you happen to possess previous godspunk collections, I urge you to make a playlist of tracks by The Large Veiny Members, Nil by Nose and Howl in the Typewriter then listen to them as if they are albums by each of these outfits. In this manner you will more readily appreciate the extreme variety and formidable contrast of styles and idiomatic musical language each of them is able to display.
In conclusion: anyone who has access to the first 3 editions of godspunk is invited to play the Howl in the Typewriter tracks followed by the UNIT tracks then play the Howl in the Typewriter tracks followed by the UNIT tracks from the most recent 3 editions of godspunk . . . then compare them . . . and you will instantly notice one characteristic: the quality of the performance and production of the Howl in the Typewriter tracks remains consistently high from volume one to volume twenty whereas the quality of the performance and production of the UNIT tracks (here the word 'quality' is used with more than a hint of irony) is atrocious on the early volumes. There is a lesson to be learned here! Finally I hope Dr. Awkward, Infected Youth and Lettuce Vultures contribute to the next godspunk collection. Although I much prefer Dr. Awkward’s contributions to godspunk volume nineteen, that fact reveals the variety and range of his musical oeuvre. godspunk volume twenty - a quiet, restrained celebration of 20 albums in 16 years.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 21st November 2018
I received our obligatory copies of godspunk volume nineteen and, as usual, a made myself a cup of tea, rolled a cigarette and enjoyed my usual ritual which is to slowly flick through the pages of the booklet first - in silence. Well, I didn’t stay silent for long. When I reached the back cover I stared in sheer astonishment . . . then burst out with a sharp bray of (probably hysterical) laughter. It’s the sight of that daft horse . . . in a wig and tights . . . WHORSE . . . I tried to play the CD but I developed a further fit of giggles and had to calm down for a moment before, finally, I was able to restore equanimity and proceed to the business.
 - Howl in the Typewriter
 - Digital Sickness
Most godspunk collections commence with a HITT pop song. This is not an exception but I don’t enjoy this much on a musical level although the lyric is powerful, albeit very disturbing and thoroughly unpleasant. One of our group members recently emerged from a hospital operation which perhaps causes a slight bias against this number. It makes me shudder! Ugh, it really is a grim exploration of medication and hospital treatment. 5/10.
 - Black Cat
If The Lemon Kittens were asked to provide the soundtrack for The Wicker Man, this is how it would sound. The harmonium is especially effective. If cats could actually sing then they would probably sound similar to these backing vocals. All right, I really don’t like this much but purely on musical taste - it’s still a highly original work. 4/10.
 - in whose nostrils was the breath of life
What a bloody horrible racket! I try to hear what that child says (she sounds as if she’s speaking via a telephone receiver) but her voice isn’t loud enough. This is also strongly reminiscent of The Lemon Kittens (circa The Big Dentist) so I really ought to enjoy it . . . but I don’t. Sorry, pStan. 3/10.
- The Glory of the Sun
How dare you assault me with a frigging didgeridoo! I’d enjoy this slab of thumping bass and drums (even with the presence of that didgeridoo) if those poxy taped voices were absent. The synthesiser lines are especially effective but my attention is continually diverted by all those people nattering about nudism and nakedness. Come on, pStan - you’re a perfectly competent musician - so give us a purely instrumental work devoid of any taped voices. 5/10.
 - A Mill1000000n
Now we have more taped voices but in this instance they don’t impose on the music but create an essential feature of it. ‘This is the sound of a million starlings . . . unbelievable.’ Look, I worship birds so any track that includes the sound of a million starlings is liable to accrue points instantly. HITT save their most effective, impressive and interesting track until the end. Yes there are elements of Throbbing Gristle, The Nocturnal Emissions and Nurse With Wound here but that means it is liable to be an intriguing, enjoyable and entertaining soundscape . . . which is precisely what we have on offer here. (Note: is it purely coincidental my favourite HITT track of this set happens to feature a member of AWARE who contribute the most impressive track on the entire collection?) 9/10.
 - Dr. Awkward
 - Stealing The Pennies From A Dead Man’s Eyes
This is strictly from Fairport Convention and while I am not a fan of folk music, this is actually a compliment. The doctor may be awkward but this music certainly is not. The slide guitar is subtle yet an essential addition to the plucked strings that provide the basic riff. Token complaint: it is too brief! In fact it sounds like an excerpt from a longer piece. The performance is crisp, clear and precise. Very impressive. 8/10.
 - This May Be A Tad Uncomfortable
Ye Gods but this is impressive. I sit here and I can scarcely believe my ears. Take the kind of sonic adventures explored by industrial outfits of the early 1980s but give it the 21st century treatment . . . which is what we have here. Now this track is impressive when taken on its own merits but when played straight after Stealing Pennies From A Dead Man’s Eyes (which is what I did) the instant response must be: are these tracks really by the same person or people? UNIT are renown for their variety . . . well, this beats us at our own game. I am extremely impressed by this track, an effect given more impact when its folk rock companion is added to it. 10/10.
 - Puttin 'Em Back
This is Stealing Pennies From A Dead Man’s Eyes with the slide guitar louder and played backwards. There may be other subtle noises included - it’s difficult to discern. Is this what Fairport Convention might sound like after a tab of LSD 25? Note: virtuoso performers of CD players should programme these 3 tracks to be played in succession; they are then even more effective. The impression given is that This May Be A Tad Uncomfortable affects the listener (or performers) so Stealing Pennies becomes mutated after the encounter. Please Dr. Awkward - be sure to contribute to godspunk volume twenty. 7/10.
(The artwork is also memorable: a single line of white text on a black page ‘Dr Awkward Is Unavailable’ with a line scored through it).
 - Nil by Nose
 - Always There
Excuse my flippancy, chaps, but my immediate impression is: this is a missing track from 20 Jazz Funk Greats by Throbbing Gristle. From me that is praise. All right, it is slightly too repetitive for my taste (alas, Mr. Mark E. Smith, I don’t dig repetition) but that does not detract from the rather pleasantly hypnotic gently bubbling keyboard sprinkled with guitar phrases, toy xylophone and distant, indistinct voices. Despite my aversion to repetition, this is never actually boring or tedious. 6/10.
 - Wake Me
More jazz funk greats! This is rather more malevolent, however, with grim voices in the background over an insistent electro-beat and growling keyboard. These 2 tracks are similar in idiom but I urge listeners to check out the Nil By Nose tracks on previous godspunk collections. They will discover precisely how varied their musical styles can be. Suggestion: take every track by Nil By Nose from every godspunk collection on which they appear and listen to the tracks in succession. I did . . . and then you begin to appreciate how inventive and innovative they are. 6/10.
 - Shy Rights Movement
 - Everyone Leaves You In The End
Vocals and guitars recorded in a bedroom circa 1981. That is what this brings to mind. Oddly, I gain the distinct impression if this was recorded in a posh studio, much of its effect would be lost. That said, this really is not my kind of music . . . not at all. However, I can certainly sympathise - even empathise - with the lyric. Complaint: the vocals are neither loud enough nor clear enough. The fellow can evidently sing so let’s hear him! 3/10.
 - Endlessly Blue
Ah, this is more like it! The early 1980s mien remains but that is not a complaint, merely an observation. Now the vocal is mixed far more clearly and it makes a major difference. The guitar playing is more interesting, too, based on a series of repeated riffs but, with the aid of reverb and restrained playing, it presents an appropriate accompaniment to the voice. 5/10.
 - Flux of Yellow Daisies
 - Satanic Mass
Now I was definitely impressed by their contribution to the previous godspunk so I’m pleased to see them return for this instalment. The opening lulls us into an expectation of a gloomy, malevolent reverie when suddenly guitars and drums burst forth and we find ourselves in 1970s rock territory. I’d like the bass guitar to play more interesting stuff but this is a minor caveat. The inclusion of a church bell adds further lustre to a track whose only requirement is a decent vocal mix and perhaps a couple of chord changes to prevent it being so repetitive. That said, they create an impressive atmosphere that is highly memorable. 7/10.
 - Insecticide Track 1
Again the vocal is far too low in the mix, so much so that it irritates me. I want to hear those words! The occasional incursions of a sitar amid all the 1970s guitar rockery is oddly attractive. I used to possess a copy of the Necronomicon by Abdul Al Hazred as well as the collected stories of H P Lovecraft and magic squares of Abra Melin The Mage so I can appreciate the motivation behind their work . . . I simply wish they’d go further into the realms of the avant garde soundscape they submitted to godspunk volume eighteen. 5/10.
 - The Large Veiny Members
 - Hanging Like An Elf
As I listen to this (for the second time) I find myself waiting for the main event to happen. It is as if the music is a prelude to an event that never occurs. Complaint: the vocal is much too quiet in the mix. Ye Gods this is irritating! A flimsy electronic beat sprinkled with sonic confetti that ought to be effective and yet it appeals only to the homicidal side of my nature. What a cantankerous old bastard I am. As with Nil By Nose, I recommend listeners new to godspunk collections check out the earlier contributions by this bunch because again the sheer variety of their work is more impressive than what can be discerned from their work here. 2/10.
The artwork is rather groovy though - a horny elf showing off his bare legs giving the finger to a fairy who responds in a similar manner - splendid.
 - The Golden Gonk
 - Leaving the Laboratory
Question: have this bunch ever heard any tracks by Five Or Six? The stylistic similarities are impossible to ignore. Five Or Six are one of my favourite groups so I am inevitably sympathetic to what this group / person does here. Yes, it tends toward repetition but with subtle changes and shifting modification of instruments and musical ideas that move, with gradual yet still surprising, into territory closer to Gentle Giant (no, I’m serious) than post-punk outfits. This is distinctly impressive because it defies categories. Imagine someone asked that perennially annoying question: what sort of music do you play? How the hell can anyone reply in a manner that is even remotely informative? The music slides, again gradually, into a chaotic profusion of guitar dominated rifferama but with that keyboard or synthesiser never far away. The frenetic incursions of heavily distorted sounds intrude on the soundscape and emerge ultimately victorious. What a truly bizarre work this is! Note: it is even more effective via headphones. 8/10.
 - AWARE
 - 2000 in 10 followed by King Piranha
CHRIST IN A CAMISOLE! This is bloody brilliant. All right, it is also a seething chaotic mess (but only now and then) yet it succeeds because it includes sections that are very quiet and gentle juxtaposed with loud, abrasive noise and, amid and between all this kerfuffle, contrapuntal lines informed by trombone and clarinet plus a rather distinctive female vocalist. Complaint: the recording quality is rough - not enough to spoil the track but I’d love to hear this in pristine stereo with more bass frequencies. Complaint: it is a pity they don’t list the names of each performer and their instrument in their otherwise informative sleeve notes to the booklet. Anyway, I played this piece not once, not twice but five times in succession. That’s how much I enjoyed it.
Question: why have I never heard of this outfit or any of its members previously? How is that even possible? This is beyond any doubt one of the most invigorating and intriguing contributions to godspunk since Hebetation in 2003 and Stream Angel in . . . whenever it was, I can’t recall exactly. The territory explored by this piece is not far away from (to give the most immediate examples) Derek Bailey, Paul Rutherford, Evan Parker, Ivor Kallin, the London Improvisers Orchestra and some of the more abrasive moments of AMM yet it manages to sound dissimilar to any of these. I especially enjoy the brief moments of discussion between the group members not only before but even during the piece! 10/10.
 - UNIT
 - Game Of Thrones
Ihre trommel zeit ist furchtbar schwierige. Why the hell did we waste our time, energy and effort on this arrant nonsense? The drama series is absolutely superb; the music is utter shite. I think that is what motivated me to make my arrangement of the theme tune - to add extra harmonies and remove 90% of the percussion - but even so, this really doesn’t make the grade. It might help if we could all play in time, too. The trumpet and horn playing by Fritz is memorable though. 5/10.
 - Who Won The War
The lyric is inspired by the film It Happened Here (1966, directed by Kevin Brownlow) but it sounds like a trendy loony leftie rant and is slightly embarrassing now. I wrote it in the 1990s although the music is strictly from 2018 and the performance is mandatory. 6/10.
 - Share The Same Thoughts
The chord sequence is by Pete Bynghall, the original guitarist of The Apostles, a group I joined in 1982. I remained a member until 1989 when sanity prevailed and I departed in high dudgeon. (I do high dudgeon rather well.) This is the first time I played an alto saxophone with any proficiency and even now I am satisfied with the result. 7/10.
 - Gaudeamus Igitur
I’ve always loved this 16th century anthem but I could never find a recording of it that met my requirements . . . so I decided to record one myself. Oh but I dearly wish I possessed a decent voice. 7/10.
 - The Loch & The Glen
This is one of the best instrumental works I wrote during the 1990s but our initial recording of it was dire (cf Kämpfbereit, 1996). My only complaint here is the occasionally shabby time keeping but this partly due to the recording process: Fritz recorded his horn and bass guitar parts in Bremen, Germany, when he was unable to travel to England to record the work with us. I have since amended this minor problem (the marvels of post production with a digital editing programme) so its inclusion on our album Better Dead Than Red does not present a shameful embarrassment yet hearing this now, I realise it really isn’t too bad. The middle section is a direct quote from the concert overture The Land Of The Mountain & The Flood by the 19th century Scottish composer Hamish McCunn. 8/10.
 - Soul Patrol
Oh aye, here we go: UNIT try their hands at soul funk. I have since remixed this so it is clearer yet this account is serviceable and does possess a kind of frantic urgency I still find appealing. We issued it as the ‘a’ side of our 1st single earlier this year. Isn’t it odd how we still refer to ‘a’ and ‘b’ sides when we issue our work on CDs? This number would sound really groovy if UNIT possessed someone who could actually sing. 8/10.
Right then - now for my obligatory conclusion. The best part of the entire package is WHORSE. It is worth purchasing for this reason alone. That picture should be enlarged to A2 size, framed and hung in the Tate Gallery. The top 3 tracks (for me) are these,
1 AWARE: 2000 in 10 followed by King Piranha
2 Dr. Awkward: This May Be A Tad Uncomfortable
3 Howl in the Typewriter: A Mill1000000n
For the uninitiated among you: please note that my marks out of ten refer to my own preferences and represent my idiosyncratic musical tastes; they are not intended to indicate a calibration of value. For example, suppose the pair of tracks by Shy Rights Movement were excised from the disc and replaced with more avant gardening by Dr. Awkward, HITT or UNIT - then the collection would not be nearly as effective. They provide the only gentle, folk-pop orientated pieces on the album, Stealing Pennies aside. Thus the variety remains (a trademark of any godspunk collection) and the art is definitely impressive . . . but then I cannot recall a single edition of godspunk where the art is not impressive. To be honest, I don’t rate this among the very best collections in the godspunk oeuvre but it does rank among the top ten.
Final note: to Dr. Awkward and AWARE - for purely selfish reasons I hope you are both able to contribute further tracks for godspunk volume twenty.

 - Review by Carl Dullbedsitblogger (Nil by Nose and Large Veiny Members), 7th December 2018
I have always enjoyed Andy Martin's reviews of godspunk and have finally thought I should really pull my finger out and type my thoughts!
Digital Sickness - Howl in the Typewriter
Bang, we are in to godspunk volume nineteen with a line about feeling ill. I really should listen to more of pStan’s stuff to break down how to actually make a song, rather than an idea that just peters out.
Game Of Thrones - UNIT
I have never seen or read Game Of Thrones, so not sure of this tracks relevance to it - but it really reminds me of playing historical sims type games on computers in the mid 90s.
Stealing The Pennies From A Dead Man's Eyes - Dr. Awkward
I think Dr Awkward must be a old western snake oil pedlar style Dr. cos this made me want to stagger dustily into the swing doors of a saloon.
Satanic Mass - Flux Of Yellow Daisies
This started with the spooky sound of a black mass, then morphed into the soundtrack for a haunted maze adventure with a bunch of teens and monsters chasing one another around like Scooby Doo!
Always There - Nil by Nose
This is me trying to do a romantic tune.
Who Won The War - UNIT
Some satire from an alternate universe and / or possibly a statement about Brexit Britain. 
Black Cat - Howl in the Typewriter
A guided tour through the cut and paste mind's eye of pStan.
Everybody Leaves You In The End - Shy Rights Movement
This sounds like the interesting person performing at an open mic night after hearing too many cover versions. If I had had one more pint I would cry.
2000 in 10 followed by King Piranha - AWARE
Improv poetry night.
Share The Same Thoughts - UNIT
The great thing about being involved with these godspunks is UNIT. They have been there since the beginning and hearing them evolve is a great journey; every time UNIT, but every time slightly further on with their journey.
Leaving The Laboratory - The Golden Gonk
I enjoyed the synth plinks and plonks . . . but I can hear the story of leaving the clean clinical space of a laboratory into the fuzzy confusion of the world.
In whose nostrils was the breath of life - Howl in the Typewriter
Industrial child’s play filth.
This May Be A Tad Uncomfortable - Dr. Awkward
Now Dr. Awkward is peddling his electrical remedies! I feel cured!
Gaudeamus Igitur - UNIT
I wonder if Andy sang all the parts in this or if he had got together a choir?
Hanging Like An Elf - The Large Veiny Members
This was improvised with my long time musical cohorts Fay and Dave. The main thing I think when I hear this is I could have produced it better - there are a few annoying clicks, and the sound is generally a bit thin.
Insecticide Track 1 - Flux of Yellow Daisies
Listening to this I can imagine a rather confused traditional Indian musician making the best of a clerical error that meant he had a leather clad rock band as his backing group instead of his usual one.
Endlessly Blue - Shy Right Movement
This track is haunting. If you were to strip everything back from an emotional Inspiral Carpets track you might get something almost like this.
The Loch And The Glen - UNIT
The glockenspiel and drums in this are great - I am transported to a village hall in Stoneybridge, where a slide show of majestic Scotland is being shown by a local keen photographer.
The Glory of the Sun - Howl in the Typewriter
Nudist didgeridoo, all very natural and no mention of volleyball! I hate the feeling of sand stuck to me. I got put off naturism when I was young and saw a copy of H&E - there was a photo of a guy who had obviously lay on his front on a sandy beach. Just thinking about it still makes me shudder!
Wake Me - Nil by Nose
I can't remember what all the samples are in this - probably stuff I though was funny at the time. Not a lot really happens.
Puttin 'Em Back - Dr. Awkward
This is an intriguing tune. I feel like I know it, but pretty sure I don't - and I want to know what is being played backwards. 
Soul Patrol - UNIT
In an alternate universe where UNIT are Mark Ronson this is Up Town Funk!
A Mill1000000n - Howl in the Typewriter (plus dJohn)
I think this is possibly the sound track for when dJohn and pStan experimented with Vulcan Mind Melding. I can hear the two minds blending together, then the experience becomes too much.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 12th January 2018
Who actually reads these reviews? Presumably the contributors to each godspunk collection. It pleases me to imagine they are also scanned by people sufficiently intrigued by the presence of these compilations to consider purchasing them and require more information prior to reaching a decision. If this is so then it is futile for me to say how much I like or dislike a certain track. What help is that to a potential buyer? However, I invariably do include such statements because I endeavour (though not always with success) to be fair and provide accurate descriptions of the contents so if I really dislike a track then the reader can, in theory, compensate for my comments and assume (perhaps) it merits more praise than I’ve given to it . . . and vice versa. My marks out of ten represent my personal response to a track (thus they refer only to my musical preference) and are therefore not an indication of its artistic merit.
 - Nil By Nose (in their various incarnations)
 - Red Pick Up
My only complaint about this splendid impertinence is its duration: it is far too brief. It is a clever and deliciously cruel satire on country and western songs. This obviously appeals to me because I loathe, detest and despise country and western. Whenever I hear it (which, fortunately, is very rarely and only ever by accident) I see black people hanging from trees while hooded numpties set fire to wooden crosses. However, I freely admit the performance of country and western music does require a level of technical proficiency not found in many pop groups so if one seeks to ridicule it, one has to be able to play instruments to a certain standard . . . which is why this piece is so effective: it is played superbly. I would like the vocal a little louder in the mix but this is my only (minor) caveat other than its brevity. Note: the best country and western parodies I have ever heard can be found on one of the soundtrack CDs by The Simpsons. One of these includes a song about a pick-up truck, too. 8/10
 - That Scat
Here we have another splendid slice of parody, this time in a 1970s jazz funk groove. Again, I would prefer it to be longer and, ideally, the bass guitar (or bass keyboard) should be slightly louder in the mix. What we have here is a drum machine, a bass and a keyboard emulating a brass section with a vocalist who gives it wellie on the cool scat singing vibe I’ve used in certain UNIT tracks except here there’s a hint of Elvis Presley, too. Come to think of it, the vocal ought to be louder, too. The performance is crisp, clean and finely executed but just as I begin to enjoy it . . . it ends! 7/10
 - Throat Drone
I wonder if the purveyors of this track have ever heard Motet by The Lemon Kittens? It appears on We Buy A Hammer For Daddy, their 1st album, released in 1979. That has unaccompanied male vocals, albeit of a more complex harmonic nature than what is given here. Basically the music does what the title suggests: drones on a single note for only a few seconds. It ought to be extremely tedious but actually it is highly effective, especially when placed between Rain Man and Miranda Passes The Audition. Again, this piece would benefit from being slightly longer. Anyway, one fact is now apparent: Red Pick Up, That Scat and Throat Drone could conceivably be written and recorded by totally different artists because they sound so radically different from each other . . . an impressive achievement. 7/10
 - Metal Trap
This reminds me of those atrocious poufy new romantic outfits of the 1980s which means I am destined to dislike this piece intensely even though it is evidently a satirical swipe at such ensembles. The lyric is also amusing yet I still find this excessively irritating! This is not an actual fault of the music or its performers but a property of the genre they’ve chosen to satirise. A drum machine, typical 1980s keyboard sounds and an impassioned vocal provide the primary musical presentation but the wordless vocalise (under heavy reverb) in the background adds an extra dollop of Depeche Modery if you like that kind of thing. 3/10
 - My Babys Skin
An emotional vocal over a twanging guitar and a vague murky morass of synthesiser provide the primary ingredients of this strange little number and, for the first time, I am grateful it is under 30 seconds in duration. Christ, this is annoying! It might supply a useful bridge between Goat and Reginald but I still find it irritating. However, it does provide yet another facet of the astonishing variety of which this bunch are capable. 2/10
 - Look Ma
At nearly 2 minutes, this piece is 4 times the length of any of its predecessors. Right then, think Throbbing Gristle, The Nocturnal Emissions and Whitehouse. Now add more intricate (and thus interesting) synthesiser / electronic sounds plus occasional vocal interjections, the entire sonic slab blasted out fortissimo . . . and you have this magnificent aural edifice that stands astride Ampoule and WeavyHeight like a colossus. This is (in my no doubt biased opinion) absolutely brilliant and, for me, one of the best tracks on the collection. Hear it once and you will possibly grumble ‘ugh - bloody racket’. Well, yes, perhaps . . . but please listen to it again, this time through headphones (which is what I did). This piece is actually far more complex and intricately arranged than an initial encounter with it might suggest. On my 3rd listen I simply sat here and relished the crawling chaos of disparate sonic strands that weave an electronic tapestry which, despite its harsh and abrasive mien, merits repeated listens. I’d like some of the bass frequencies to be a little more prominent in the mix but this is my only caveat. 9/10
 - Teal Hair
An electronic beat, an electric organ, a synthesiser plus electronic noises off-stage over which male voices chant like monks from Hell, primarily in only 2 keys, lend this a strange aura, as if it is an avant garde response to A Song For Paul Novak. The organ ought to be louder (but then I like organs) although the piece does sound clearer when heard on headphones. At nearly 2 minutes it is the longest of their contributions yet not (in my opinion) their most impressive. I find myself waiting for something to happen, some event to occur . . . but it never arrives. That said, the playing is crisp and precise while the atmosphere evoked is suitably sepulchral for its subject matter. 6/10
Note: for virtuoso operators of CD players or computers, I recommend listeners play all these tracks in succession (in the same order they appear on the compilation). The experience is definitely worth the effort. How can they manage such variety, especially when each track is played with such conviction? There is a problem with tracks under 30 seconds duration: listeners can be tempted to dismiss them as insubstantial and disposable. This would be a severe error with most of these items. Their brevity is rarely an indication of their substance. Remember: a lack of seconds does not imply a lack of content. For me, Volume 18 displays Nil By Nose at their very best because the sheer range covered by these tracks, combined with the technical finesse of the performances, I find astonishing. Yes, this is all highly impressive.
 - Dumb Robot Pilot
 - Panzer
A rock steady drum pattern (rather 1970s - which is not a criticism) combines with a grumbling bass guitar and early 1980s guitar rifferama to create a typical rock instrumental one might hear used as background music to depict a club in a 1980s children’s television drama. Now, there’s a problem here - this is really not my kind of music so I must struggle to be fair to its exponents. Over the years, UNIT have received (correctly) praise for our technical ability even from people who don’t particularly like our kind of music. Well, Dumb Robot Pilot prove they are equally proficient: this number is executed with consummate skill. Indeed, it rolls along in an arrogant swagger I find rather appealing. I think the problem (for me) is that it requires a lead melody somewhere, an additional ‘something’ to add lustre to what presently sounds rather like a backing track for a vocal or lead instrument. Nevertheless, when heard in the context of this compilation, it provides an unexpected dollop of hard rock . . . which is excellent if you like hard rock. If, like me, you don’t . . . well, then you have to appreciate the variety its inclusion affords.
No, it’s no good. I can’t leave it like that. I played it again (through headphones) and I am forced to revise my previous opinion. This is actually a finely crafted example of rock music whose only fault is that the bass guitar needs to be slightly louder. To my surprise I found I was never actually bored - I didn’t experience a desire to fast forward (which is what I expected). If it changed key more often then I’d find it easier to enjoy the piece. Anyway, I’m glad I played this work again because I enjoyed it more the second time around and it obliges me to increase my score to 8/10.
 - Tidal
A rock steady drum pattern (rather 1970s - which is not a criticism) combines with a grumbling bass guitar and early 1980s guitar rifferama to create a typical rock instrumental one might hear used as background music to depict a club in a 1980s children’s television drama. Just a minute - isn’t this how I described Panzer? Well, I know perfectly it is, of course . . . and therein lies the problem. It sounds (to me) like a slower paced variant of Panzer. However, the difference here is that the piece really does sound like a backing track in urgent need of a lead instrument or a vocalist. I tried it again through headphones but, alas, this time I really did feel the urgent need to press the fast forward button . . . yet I managed to refrain from doing so . . .
. . . but this track features additional properties which generate criticism. First: there’s a reverb used on the guitar which sounds excessive and makes the general sound rather murky and muddy. Second: the slow tempo and repeated riffs emphasise the degree of repetition. Again, I think the bass guitar needs to be louder. The playing is exemplary; make no mistake, these cats are highly competent musicians - it’s just a pity they didn’t add another guitar or a keyboard to play a lead melody line which, in my opinion (which I admit is probably not worth much) would raise this piece to a much higher level. 5/10
 - S.L.I.
 - Rain Man
A drum machine + 1980s keyboard sounds + a very intriguing lyric combine to provide one of the more interesting tracks on this compilation. Note: ‘we’re all fantastic now’ appears on the inner spine of the CD tray card. I don’t like the mid Atlantic accent adopted by the singer but this is merely an example of my personal preference rather than a genuine criticism. The vocal melody is contagious and my only real problem is the absence of a bass guitar or bass melody instrument because this means the track sounds rather top heavy. That said, at no time did find myself bored by the track - a significant achievement since I am notoriously impatient with any form of music that falls outside my narrow preferences. 4/10
 - Reginald
This is pure pop: drums, bass guitar, guitar and keyboard in full effect with a vocal whose sound and diction I definitely prefer to that adopted for Rain Man. Mein Gott, if this track was played on Radio 1 or any other commercial radio station, it would not sound incongruous. That, by the way, constitutes significant praise from me. There is a part of my mind (admittedly a small part) that really appreciates bright and breezy commercial pop music and this magnificent tracks meets every requirement: a strong vocal melody, a nice harmonic progression and a pristine performance that merits respect and approbation. Can this therefore constitute a fair review of it? No . . . because I love this kind of music and therefore I am liable to heap praise upon it, some of which may not be warranted . . .
. . . but I don’t care, all right? All the same, in the interests of balance and fairness, let’s give it another listen, this time through headphones. Could the vocal be just a tad more prominent in the mix? Possibly. The string synthesiser is also a bit too quiet for my taste although it sounds clearer through headphones. There’s also an acoustic guitar here but it only appears at certain moments in the work. The guitar parts weave a gentle web through the sonic texture, too. No, it’s no good: I’m going to listen to this a third time, purely because IT’S SO BLOODY GROOVY! This is (so far) my favourite track on the collection. This is The Hit Single, without a doubt. Have S.L.I. ever recorded any other tracks like this? Not to my knowledge. Anyway, yes, I was right: the vocal should be slightly louder in the mix . . . but that doesn’t stop me giving it 10/10.
 - The Large Veiny Members
 - Meat Balls
This is (by 1 second) the longest track on the collection. Late 1990s house and acid rave meets the more accessible (tuneful) elements of Throbbing Gristle and The Lemon Kittens in a kaleidoscope of disparate electronic fragments (interrupted by occasional vocal interjections) which do change but only gradually, almost imperceptibly, over an insistent beat underscored by a keyboard that suggests rather than insists upon a chord sequence. All this tomfoolery ought to place the piece firmly in Ibiza circa 1995 yet it doesn’t sound ‘old fashioned’ (whatever that might mean). It does give the impression of a 21st century ensemble who seek to create a memory of that decade with its shell suited exponents cavorting on dance floors high on ecstasy and low on artistic discernment. Actually, this piece is superior (technically and musically) to much of the robot noise that afflicted the 1990s and for one crucial reason: it never becomes tedious or boring . . .
. . . but then as a child of the 1990s am I unfairly biased in its favour? Probably . . . so let’s see if I can listen to it again (on headphones) without becoming impatient. Yes, all right then: second time around I notice the absence of a bass guitar or bass keyboard. Does it really need this? Perhaps not but I’d appreciate such an addition since most of the interesting fragments tend to happen in the mid range and treble regions of the work. Electronic manipulation of the sonic strands adds to the interest - repeated phrases are often subjected to transformations as they mutate into other sounds or fall apart while new sounds take their place but this all happens gradually, organically. This is one of the more intriguing works on this disc and definitely my favourite LVM piece. 8/10
 - Flux Of Yellow Daisies
 - Rise Of The Sacrificial Goat
This is (by 1 second) the second longest track on the collection. It is also the least accessible. Now, I have to be careful here: I read their page in the booklet and fundamentally disagree with about 90% of its contents . . . so I must not allow that to adversely influence my response to the track. (As a passionate, enthusiastic and informed student of physics and astronomy since the 1970s I cannot accept the assertions made in their essay . . . but this is not the place to enter into a scientific debate.) So, what do the Daisies have for us? Over 6 minutes of a violin scratching away over a jumble of electronic noises . . . apparently . . . or at least, that’s what it may sound like if you don’t pay attention.
Look, this is not background music. To appreciate its intricacy, full attention is required although I do realise that is a formidable demand given the extreme avant garde idiom adopted here. For me this does not present a problem, of course, but for many people, I can imagine their responses: there’s no tune, no melody, no harmony, no rhythm . . . it’s just a load of noise. Ah, but that’s where they are wrong. It is not just a load of noise. On the contrary, much of this work is restrained and delicate with a disparate collection of sound sources that weave in and out of focus like minute organisms observed through a microscope or the movement of molecules suspended in solution. Usually a work sounds more effective either through speakers or headphones . . . this piece sounds equally effective using either medium, although the incredible range of sounds and their quite formidable complexity does become more obviously apparent through headphones.
I played Reginald (S.L.I.) and Look Ma (Naughty Boyd Narcissist) 3 times each because I enjoyed them so much. This track I’ve played 3 times because it intrigues me - indeed it fascinates me. I’m not even certain I ‘like’ it that much - by which I mean, I can’t decide if I actually enjoy listening to it. I must do - or else why would I wish to endure its 6 minute duration 3 times in succession? On my first encounter, the violin annoyed me because it sounds as if the player is not technically proficient. However, suppose that’s true - does it matter? Not necessarily. What does matter (to me anyway) is this: does the performance serve a useful artistic function in the context of the piece as a whole? To my ears, yes, it does . . . because its rough ineptitude (assuming it really is ineptitude) creates a stark contrast with (and opposition to) the mechanistic perfection of the electronic and industrial sounds. I equate it with a human being or an animal trapped inside a vast mechanistic environment from which it seeks (and fails) to escape.
(20 minutes later.) I have to hear this piece a 4th time. I’ve not been this intrigued with a godspunk contribution since Hebetation and Stream Angel. There is a hi-hat there and a cymbal . . . but among the other sound sources these are not instantly apparent. At certain moments during the piece, the machine music (as I choose to call it) alters its course, abruptly, yet it never actually ceases. A sonic strand stops to be replaced quickly by a different set of sounds yet while this occurs, other sound sources continue so one gains the impression of a vast leviathan whose component parts change course and alter momentum yet continue their relentless subjugation of the organic element: the violin. This is merely my interpretation, however, so perhaps ought not to be regarded as a definitive description of the work. If this piece was played on BBC Radio 3 amid other avant garde classical works, it would not sound incongruous. However, I find it impossible to decide on a score . . . what do I think of it? I can’t decide. What I do know, beyond any possible doubt, is that it is one of the most interesting contributions ever made to a godspunk compilation and for this reason alone I shall award it 9/10.
Note: this outfit also released a 21 minute CD called Insecticide which - to my astonishment - I actually enjoyed. I disagree profoundly with the essay they include in the godspunk booklet, primarily because it is simply not factually correct. When the gigantic cyclotron was initially constructed at CERN in Switzerland there soon followed a plethora of anxious complaints from people with noble intentions but a lamentable absence of a basic knowledge of physics, convinced the scientists were about to create a miniature black hole that would envelope the world. Actually, the physics of black holes don’t function like that - to create such a monstrosity (which I agree would be an activity of monumental stupidity) requires a gargantuan mass, i.e. at least 1.4 times that of the Sun.
I also find the sleeve notes to this EP irritating (they primarily feature a long quote over 3 pages from H P Lovecraft together with a page that invites Satanist to contact the group) because surely the world does not need Satanism or any other kind of medieval superstitious balderdash. Instead we urgently require sanity, rational thought and hard scientific facts. When problems occur in the world, it seems to be de rigeuer to blame the scientists when in fact it is usually governments and their paymasters, the multi-national corporations, who are responsible for the mess in which we find ourselves. Scientists are generally ordered to clear up this mess. It was a group of scientists who first warned governments about the perils of a depleted ozone layer and the noxious effects of CHC emissions back in the 1960s. Is it their fault if governments ignore them? Hardly.
The EP reveals people clearly fascinated by the 1960s and all that H P Lovecraft, Charles Manson and Satanic bollocks so beloved by industrial outfits of the 1980s. It sounds impossibly dated and old fashioned now yet it’s pleasant enough in its own way and quite amusing. Will there still be bands in 2118 who drone on about all this hoary old tat? Frankly I could not care 2 hoots about Charlie Manson - what has he ever done for me or for society? Given hippies an even worse reputation than they had already, I suppose, but apart from that I can think of not a single useful contribution he made to the world. H P Lovecraft created some splendid stories but he was never a Satanist. He wanted to be an 18th century English aristocrat, a desire occasionally revealed in some of his earlier short stories.
Oddly, none of the tracks (which are played with technical precision and with a crisply clear production) sound remotely similar to their contribution to godspunk, being rather guitar orientated grooves with the intrusion of taped voices and odd sounds. In fact, although the tracks are split into sections called Track 1, Track 2 et cetera, each separated by short largely spoken word pieces called Interludes, the whole set framed by a Prelude and a Postlude, I hear it as a continuous 21 minute work.
 - Moineau Ecarlate
 - Ampoule Gaz Tete
On more than one occasion I have complained about the absence of overtly avant garde contributions to more recent Gods Punk collections. Flux Of Yellow Daisies and Naughty Boyd Narcissist (with Look Ma) compensate for this - yet this very strange piece adds a further inflection to the mix with its synthesiser driven repetition under / over which we hear various sonic strands: percussion, electronically treated voices and other sounds impossible to define. I can’t hear this once and give it the attention it merits . . . so let’s spin it again. A car horn, disgruntled voices, odd stops and starts plus synthesisers in sonic disagreement with each other all contribute to the mess - but this isn’t a murky, untidy mess - it’s a meticulously contrived array of sounds, noises and fragments of music that amount to indecision, confusion, a debate that is never concluded. I do find it slightly irritating but this is not a criticism of the piece itself, merely a comment on my own musical preferences. This definitely deserves 7/10 . . . probably more. I really hope they make future contributions to godspunk because I’d like to hear what else they have for us. Yes, an intriguing work. I’ll modify my score: 8/10.
 - UNIT
 - Nina On The Dance Floor
This is my musical depiction of Nina Bentley, one of the daughters of Dexter Bentley who presents the Hello Goodbye Show every Saturday at midday on Resonance 104.4 FM. It forms part of a series of purely instrumental works I composed in honour of various children - the others are Mordecai Watson and Iris Watson (the children of Ben Watson who presents Late Lunch With Out To Lunch every Wednesday at 2 pm on Resonance 104.4 FM) and Dan and Mia (the children of pStan Batcow) plus Chester Scores Another Goal (included on godspunk 17). He’s the son of Dexter Bentley. Nina particularly enjoys dancing so I present what appears to be a typical disco number . . . until the metre changes and we are obliged to dance in 7/4 and 5/4. The harmonic clashes (with discords) are deliberate. They represent my aversion to dance music! That said, I wonder if this piece isn’t slightly too long for its content. 7/10
 - Miranda Passes The Audition
This is my musical depiction of Miranda Bentley, one of the daughters of Dexter Bentley who presents the Hello Goodbye Show every Saturday at midday on Resonance 104.4 FM. It forms part of a series of purely instrumental works I composed in honour of various children - the others are Mordecai Watson and Iris Watson (the children of Ben Watson who presents Late Lunch With Out To Lunch every Wednesday at 2 pm on Resonance 104.4 FM) and Dan and Mia (the children of pStan Batcow) plus Chester Scores Another Goal (included on godspunk 17). He’s the son of Dexter Bentley. Miranda is interested in drama and acting so this presented me with a difficult challenge. I elected to write music dramatic in nature with as many 19th century classical chord progressions as I could contrive plus the obligatory jazz rhythms in the central section. In fact the outer sections are a fast 9/8 and 5/8 which can also be regarded as a slow 7/4 if you’re that way inclined. As with its predecessor, I think in retrospect this piece could benefit from being slightly shorter. 8/10
 - A Song For Paul Novak
I do not enjoy repetition and I do not enjoy music that remains in only 1 or 2 keys for its entire duration. This piece is repetitive and utilises only 2 keys . . . yet it is one of my favourite UNIT tracks. It was selected for this compilation by Fritz, Colin and UJ since it provides (in their opinion) a dramatic contrast to our normal style. Er . . . what then is our normal style? My prissy little pop songs, probably. It was never my intention to write a piece that is ostensibly derived from repetition and only requires 2 keys - it is not an exercise I would relish - but as I began to set my lyric to music it became obvious (to me at least) it required precisely this kind of musical setting because it provides an accurate portrayal of Paul Novak, the boy who introduced me to the work of Anthony Burgess and John Wyndham, peace be upon his name. Novak was in the year below me in school.
Have you ever read Animal Farm by George Orwell? I detest the man - he’s one of the most irritating writers I’ve ever encountered and his political beliefs are vile. Anyway, think of that dreadful donkey . . . then combine him with Marvin the paranoid android from the Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy . . . and you have Novak. The difference is that he was also incredibly unstable emotionally, prone to bouts of sudden violence. I was besotted by him which probably did not assist our relationship. He insisted he did not want or need friends. Yes, I’ve rarely made life easy for myself. His father was amazing - wrote novels and studied ancient Greece and classical Rome so I quickly developed a friendship with the man. As for the music - it needs to be in 7/4 time. The unstable metre represents the personality of Paul Novak. The electronic sounds and birds represent my own incursion into his life. My vocals are usually abysmal yet for once they aren’t too intolerable, perhaps inspired by the lyric. If I had to list my ‘top ten’ tracks by UNIT, this would be among them. 10/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter
 - Image is Everything
Most godspunk sets commence with a power pop track by HitT. This time we have a track that owes much of its mien to grime and dub step. I generally expect nasty, vindictive lyrics from pStan and that’s what we have here: a searing critique of contemporary numpties desperate to shove their vacuous personalities on social media. Is this one of the most powerful lyrics I have ever heard? Actually, it just might be . . . but I’d better check . . . so I’ll play it again. A sampled drum kit in a typical 2010s break beat + jackplug hum transmuted into an almost musical pattern + an angry bass guitar figure with a distortion pedal + a couple of multi-tracked vocals whose restraint (they barely narrate above a whisper apart from a couple of brief shouts during the chorus sections) + violently aggressive electronic interjections create an astonishingly hostile sonic environment that contains more anger and disgust than any amount of mere punk rock or heavy metal.
Myself, Lawrence Burton and pStan Batcow share one specific (and laudable) quality: we each possess an innate ability to inflict upon victims quite vituperative sonic assaults upon individuals or groups of people. I can match pStan’s ability when it comes to lyrics but musically, I acknowledge his superiority. When I write vindictive attacks upon people, the music is usually ‘too nice’. I can’t help writing luscious harmonies and memorable melodies. pStan (with commendable self discipline) is able to relinquish these attributes and strip his track down to the bare essentials required to rend his victims limb from limb. Consider the elements that comprise this piece: none of them are pleasant, musical (in the conventional sense) or designed to appease listeners. These are nasty, brutal, aggressive sounds. This is napalm as music. The track oozes contempt for its recipients - splendid. 8/10
 - Protocols
Acoustic guitar, bass guitar and harmony vocals suggest a folk song but there are distractions: a distorted electric guitar and occasional electronic interjections presage what happens half way through: we are flung into a 21st century recreation of a 1960s groove until the track suddenly collapses in on itself and begins to fragment into avant gardery before the original song reasserts itself but at a faster tempo - then slows down and returns to its quiet opening although the lyric has reached a different conclusion - magical. In terms of style, this is not my kind of music. The lyric, conversely, is utterly superb. Indeed I maintain it to be one of the most powerful he has ever written but what do I know about it? 6/10
 - Little Lizard
Distorted electric guitars and bass guitar in a prominently 1970s mien accompany a strangely impassioned pair of vocals which relate the experience of a lizard but (typically) with the imposition of strangely incongruous electronic sounds which grumble and squeak underneath the number until the vocals and guitars stop suddenly - now the electronics take centre stage and the music drops dramatically in volume and we are flung (without prior warning) into avant garde territory. However (again without warning) the original song returns yet still those oddly disturbing electronic sounds refuse to be placated. All right, this isn’t my type of music - I really only enjoy the quiet middle section - but as a composition this is high quality stuff. 5/10
 - A Strong Sense Of Embarrassment
pStan frequently employs pre-recorded voices in his works and this is a typical example of the genre. A busy drum beat with bass and keyboards suggest a pop song yet the sampled voices allude to self immolation and death by fire. In one section a child intones a recitation to which Stan adds a drum rhythm in perfect time to it - splendid. ‘How can people do things like that?’ asks a female voice. To appreciate just how much work has gone into this track you really need to hear it again . . . and again. I admit it’s not what I would normally choose to listen to but that’s not relevant here. Pay attention to the sampled voices and notice how one speaker makes a statement which is apparently answered by a different speaker even though the 2 voices are separated geographically and temporally by huge distances. This is clever stuff. 5/10
 - One-way Jigsaw
A drum machine plus various electronic sounds (in isolated fragments) are combined with 2 voices (one quietly insistent, the other passionately intoned) in a work which sounds to me like a 21st century variant of The Lemon Kittens. The tempo changes and the lyric refers to ‘disjointed’ and ‘disassembled’ . . . which provides an appropriate description of the music as it increases velocity and alters its component parts. What on Earth is this lyric about? The track is nearly 4 minutes long yet it seems to complete its course in half that time. Very odd. 4/10
 - WeavyHeight
Presumably a pun on Heavy Weight, here we have more sampled voices (but cut up into isolated fragments) together with a couple of keyboards to create an incredibly irritating collocation of moments like a reel of tape with parts missing from it. There’s an almost John Cage quality to this that creates a hypnotic quality akin to the mental state endured when one suffers from influenza and lounges on a bed or sofa in a state of semi-consciousness. Oddly, the track seems to become less annoying and irritating as it proceeds - which suggests my tolerance for it improves as I become inured to its sound world . . . perhaps. 5/10
 - The Eroder
A drum and bass groove underpins a funky synthesiser figure with sampled voices and a blistering vocal from Stan which perplex me entirely. I admit I’ve no idea what this is about (assuming it has to be ‘about’ anything) but I particularly enjoy the odd juxtaposition of 1990s beat and 1970s groove with vocals strictly from 2017. I can’t be objective about this track because I enjoy it so much! Musically (perhaps even lyrically) it is one of the simplest tracks on the disc and it is certainly the most accessible of all the HitT contributions. This cries out to be given airplay on a radio station! 8/10
Conclusion: the degree of variety on this collection is impressive given the low number of contributors. At first glance this appears to be a split album by Nil By Nose and Howl in the Typewriter with a few extra tracks included by other artists. Personally I mourn the absence of Data’s Cat and the taurus board because even a single track by each of these contributors would enhance the collection considerably. However, the presence of other tracks (Reginald, Sacrificial Goat and Look Ma in particular) adequately compensates for these omissions and certainly this is one of the most impressive collections in the relentless march of godspunk which bestrides the 21st century like a colossus. There are now 18 volumes of godspunk . If I had to select what I consider to be the 3 best godspunk collections so far - this would definitely be one of them. Is there anything missing from it? Actually, yes: a couple of acoustic numbers from John Tree would add further variety . . . but now I’m just being absurdly pernickety.
In virtually all my previous reviews of godspunk collections I rarely mention the artwork. This is because the only visual art that interests me are films and television dramas. I prefer pictures that move. However, certain pages of this CD booklet are extremely impressive. What I refer to as the 1964 page (HitT) is especially effective but almost every contribution on offer here provides a riot of colours and shapes designed to intrigue, perplex and please the eyes. In fact, this sentiment applies to most of the other godspunk volumes from around No.7 onwards but for me to actually notice the artwork and deem it worthy of comment means everyone must have made a special effort on this occasion . . . either that or some cunt has spiked my tea with acid (again).
Now, if I had to pick just 5 tracks to advertise this collection to a potential purchaser, here’s what I’d choose.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Image is Everything
 - S.L.I. - Reginald
 - Flux Of Yellow Daisies - Rise Of The Sacrificial Goat
 - Nil By Nose - Look Ma!
 - UNIT - A Song For Paul Novak
This does not imply this quintet of tracks is ‘superior’ in some arcane manner to their companions or that they merit more attention; they merely provide an impressive introduction to the wealth of invention and originality contained on this disc. Now then . . . after such a successful compilation, how do you follow it? Well, here’s one suggestion - no, it’s not a suggestion, it’s a plea: Data’s Cat and the taurus board: please please please come out of retirement and make a couple of contributions to Volume 19. Moineau Ecarlate and Flux Of Yellow Daisies: please submit tracks to the next volume. Nil By Nose: er, well, just continue to do what you’re doing, please.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 31st March 2017
Many previous issues of godspunk tend to feature a large number of different contributors, many of whom provide tracks of brief duration. This edition features a smaller number of contributors who generally give us rather longer pieces. Does this represent an improvement? Not necessarily - although it does provide a contrast to some of those earlier compilations. The range of styles and idioms remains, of course, since this has nearly always been a constant feature of these collections, although it isn’t quite so dramatic or impressive as on previous volumes.
My marks out of 10 have become such a familiar feature associated with my reviews that I continue to include them but please remember they do not provide any indication of quality, technical ability or production - they refer only to my personal response to the music or soundscape with reference to my musical preferences. As my current UNIT associates are quick to remind me, since I am an Oasis fan, my musical opinions must instantly be suspect and treated with extreme caution. Damned cheek!
However, shortly after I completed this review, 2 previous members of UNIT listened to the collection and they insist the tracks by New Born Nihilist and Heavy Water are among the most intriguing and impressive on display here, awarding each of them 9/10 . . . which proves what happens when you let an Oasis fan review a godspunk compilation. This prompted me to listen to the entire CD again (this time through headphones) and this is reflected in my notes below.
 - The Large Veiny Members
Creeping Clowns - like Nil By Nose and others, this bunch are regular contributors to the godspunk franchise. Hier ist 1980s trommel maschine mit burbling keyboard und not much else except for a couple of fellows having a conversation in the next room. Come on, chaps, what the devil are you playing at? 3/10
Limbo Nimbus - like the previous number this is only a minute and a half in duration with more 1980s drum machine and keyboard sounds babbling away merrily . . . which irritates me intensely! 2/10
Pumping & Racing - the return of the babbling keyboard and those 2 fellows are still having a debate in the room next door. This track is nearly twice as long as either of the other 2 and it feels like it. Most of this is really quiet, too. It intrigues me even though I don’t like it much. At least there’s hardly any drum machinery here. 3/10
Note: on a previous collection there was a group of very short pieces I disliked intensely yet when I played them together in succession rather than in the order they appeared on the album, I preferred them. I’ve just adopted the same practise with these 3 tracks and lo and behold - it works! They sound much better when played as a trio of linked pieces . . . but why? I’ve no idea. My 2 ex-band members insist these tracks each merit 5/10 each . . . but 7/10 if played together as a continuous work.
 - S.L.I.
Auburn Hair - this proves the spirit of indie pop is alive and thrives with a groovy little song that reminds me (slightly) of The Charlatans, alas without the Hammond Organ. I wish the bass guitar was slightly higher in the mix. Who else does this remind me of now? Oh yes - The Monochrome Set and The Lines, both of whom produced mutated pop pieces like this. 8/10
Take Me On A Journey - the sound of an acoustic guitar makes a nice change after so much electrickery on many of the other tracks. This is certainly different to their other contribution. I’m not so keen on this one even though it features a wider range of instrumental sounds. I’d prefer the vocal to be slightly higher in the mix. The final 40 seconds are superb. Both these tracks are barely more than 2 and a half minutes long yet they provide enjoyable moments of tuneful whimsicality among the more strident avant garde works here (or, for that matter, my own histrionics). 7/10
Note: I reviewed this CD on 29th March and gave these pieces 7/10 and 6/10 respectively. The marks given above indicate my opinion based on my second listen to the CD.
 - New Born Nihilist
Tie The Captain To The Mast - more guitars, all doom and gloom with distant reverb drenched voices. Bloody Christ in a pink leotard but this is repetitive! It grinds on and on with relentless misery for over 4 minutes. It might help if we could hear what the vocalist is saying / speaking but presumably this is not intended thus we have to take the work as find it. Perhaps if the sound was beefed up a bit (more bass maybe) it might work as an effective form of crowd control but I really can’t tolerate this. It’s torture, pet, sheer torture! 0/10
- All right, I admit I dreaded hearing this a second time. I even considered skipping it - but that would be excessively rude and godspunk contributors deserve more respect. Sigh . . . but this is still the most annoying track on here . . . an opinion not shared by a couple of ex-members of UNIT who prefer to remain anonymous.
 - Nil By Nose
Thinking Bread - a brief, single contribution this time from a bunch who normally give us a few samples of their wares on each edition. Indistinct voices mutter over a repetitive babble of keyboard minimalism that reminds me of Dome or one of those other projects by solo members of Wire. 2/10
On second exposure to this piece I’m reminded of numerous other contributions made by this character, many of which I either enjoyed or found intriguing. I suspect if I heard all these tracks in succession, the full wealth of ideas and range of styles would be revealed, a quality not apparent when a single track is heard in isolation like this.
 - Heavy Water
Heavy Water - Malcolm ‘Scruff’ Lewty of Hellbastard formed a band called Heavy Water who played a few concerts and released a couple of CDs in 2004 and 2005 . . . but this is a different group. Here we have a (sort of) rock group with crunchy guitars, bass guitar and drums plus a synthesiser . . . whose burbles and warbling provide (for me) the only moments of interest in music that is easily as repetitive and tedious as the track by New Born Nihilist. It’s all based on just 2 notes! Dear God, it just goes on and on, playing those same 2 notes over and over again. Normally when a group plays a boring, repetitive piece based on only 2 or 3 chords it’s because they’re a punk band and they’re too technically inept to do anything better. This bunch, by contrast, sound to me as if they can actually play rather well . . . so why oh why do they limit themselves to this dreary dirge? Argh! Mummy, take me away to some other place (where perhaps it’s worse). 1/10
Yes, on a repeated listen their technical efficiency is even more apparent, especially through headphones - so why do they avoid playing more than 2 chords? It’s obviously intentional but I admit this piece has me bewildered! My 2 pals assure me if I had any musical taste at all, I would be able to appreciate this music is clearly an exploration of trance inducement through repetition and my error is to listen to it as I would to a pop song. Maybe they’re correct . . . but I still find it really, really boring!
 - UNIT
Grange Hill - how can I review / describe our own contributions? Can my opinions be trusted when I’m the writer of these pieces and one of the performers? Probably not. This is our arrangement of the second (and in my view vastly superior) signature tune used for The Greatest Television Series Ever Broadcast Anywhere In The World & Anyone Who Disagrees With Me Is Simply Wrong. It’s written by Pete Moss and we play a faithful rendition of it although we opt for a live drum kit rather than the drum machine featured on the original number and I lowered the key from C to Bb just for jolly, wouldn’t you? I am (I believe) justifiably proud of this piece. I’m not alone in this opinion: it is the 2nd most played / viewed track of the 460 UNIT works now available on our You Tube site. 10/10
A Song For Lee Perkins - oh how I wish I could sing properly and had a decent sounding voice. This is a biographically accurate (though possibly rather cruel) description of a lad who went to Anstey Junior School then Amery Hill School with me from 1976 to 1980. This would sound much more effective sung by a girl or a woman. 7/10
Chester Scores Another Goal - this is our tribute to Chester Bentley, son of Dexter Bentley who hosts Hello Goodbye, an alternative pop music programme broadcast every Saturday afternoon on Resonance 104.4 fm. We recorded musical tributes to his 2 young daughters, too (Nina and Miranda) although God only knows what they think of the music. The Match Of The Day quote I could not resist. Chester is crazy about football - daft I call it. As for the music, well, it’s all a bit fragmented . . . lots of nice chords in search of a decent melody. My saxophone playing hasn’t improved either. 6/10
A Song For Billy Harper - Harper is another lad I knew from my school days although he attended a different school to ours. His passion for fighting and ornithology I found impossible to resist. The strident performances given by Fritz and Colin are not able to disguise a salient fact: this is not one of my more inspired musical pieces although I’m quite chuffed with the lyric. 7/10
Terry Cashmore - this piece included quotes from The Hellraisers by Syd Dale because Cashmores’ parents were both groovy hippie types who ran the Rendezvous Café in Alton High Street during the 1970s. He didn’t go to our school (which in the circumstances is probably fortunate for me) but attended the same school as Harper. The sound effects are appropriate: he did boxing 3 times a week as I can attest: I met him on just 3 occasions and each encounter resulted in a fight . . . in which he battered the crap out of me. As with Chester, this piece sounds like a succession of interesting chord progressions in search of a decent melody . . . which it is never able to locate. 6/10
A Song For Terry Cashmore - the music is based on a far older piece I wrote when I was in The Apostles but we never recorded it at the time. I resurrected it for this tribute to Cashmore and added a 7/4 passage (which is almost obligatory in my pop songs these days - cf A Song For Lee Perkins) plus some nice harmonies for the vocals. For once my singing isn’t too wretched. Yes, there are some rather lewd and lurid aspects to the lyric but at my age, I’ve nothing to lose by expressions of honesty. 8/10
I skipped all our pieces - I’m far too familiar with them already.
 - Howl in the Typewriter
Little Punk Kid - Mark Perry meets The Lemon Kittens in Paul Wellers’ bedroom. This joins a brace of tracks written by people with reference to their dads complaining about the behaviour and attitude of their sons (Jethro Tull, Motorhead, Cyanide, Oasis and Skrewdriver come to mind . . . which probably reveals more about me than is healthy) yet it provides an unusually restrained opening for a godspunk album. The guitar and drum work are strongly redolent of Gertrude (if anyone is familiar with their work). 6/10
Brindhuft Spocmeg - hey oop - trouble at t’mill. HitT indulge in a spot of avant gardening but with one of their spiteful lyrics that bristles with aggression. I really appreciate this side of their work. Parts of this remind me of John Cooper Clarke - which, from me, is a high compliment indeed. The words dance on a soundscape that constantly shifts territory, an uneasy, malevolent collage of electronics and musique concrete - absolutely superb! 10/10
Failure To Thrive (Zygfryd) - what? Christ but this is irritating. It’s far too close to punk rock for my tastes. The bass guitar part is what salvages it (for me) with its chorus effect and strident playing. There is a contrasting middle section in which an elderly chap asks us why we don’t go to hell . . . but why should we? We’re already there - it’s called Britain in 2017. 3/10
We Don’t Think That The Weatherman’s Dumb - this issue of godspunk is virtually a HitT mini-album with 7 tracks. This 12 minute epic features a plethora of pre-recorded voices, often cut up and rearranged to force new meanings from their speakers, supported by generally minimal musical blips, bleeps and squeaks. After a while (6 minutes in my case) this becomes tedious, despite the diligent work and obvious effort involved in preparing all these different voices. The main subjects discussed appear to be various household cleaning agents . . . hair . . . and God. 5/10
The Leaves - this sounds rather like one of those early 1980s electro-pop outfits from Europe. The prodigious use of sampled voices is a frequent feature of HitT pieces but listening to this I realise I prefer those more pop orientated tracks on which pStan sings but that’s probably because I’m a boring bugger. When a break beat enters over half way through, the track sounds more 21st century but I still find myself waiting for something to happen. 4/10
Seven Women - the shortest HitT track here features more sampled voices set to minimalist guitar and electronic sounds. All right, I’ve had enough of all this sundry kerfuffle now - I want to go home, daddy. 2/10
Corpse Van - the first 30 seconds of this sound like King Crimson circa 2003 (no, seriously, it really does). Even after pStan enters with his very distinctive voice, the music still loiters dangerously close to Robert Fripp and his chums . . . but this is not the hippie noodling 1970s KC. No, it’s a relative of those 21st century albums where great slabs of metallic guitars and clinically clean drums batter us to oblivion. None of this is remotely intended as a criticism, incidentally - far from it. For those of you with patience, after the track finishes at around 4 minutes, there follows umpteen minutes of silence before we are given a recapitulation of the Weatherman track - how much grease is there? This is a device pStan has used on previous godspunk albums although I’ve never quite understood why! 8/10
Repeated plays of these tracks haven’t caused me to revise my scores although I did hear aspects in them I didn’t notice first time around. HitT tracks definitely benefit from being heard through headphones as well as speakers. My 2 pals take issue with me over some of my scores and statements, in particular Corpse Van which they insist sounds nothing like King Crimson although they agree it merits 8/10. They give Failure To Thrive and Seven Women 6/10 and 8/10 respectively and accuse me of not being able to discern the difference between musical inventiveness and a poached egg.
Summary: if ever an edition of godspunk required contributions from Data’s Cat and the taurus board, this is it. For me the real discovery here is S.L.I. about whom I know nothing. I hope they contribute to the next volume. Also, if you, like me, don’t like The Large Veiny Members works this time around, don’t dismiss them - instead, check out their contributions to previous volumes and you’ll discover there’s more range and variety to their oeuvre than is immediately apparent here. However, this begins to sound just slightly like a godspunk album with too few contributors which might account for the slight diminution of contrasts and variety compared to many (indeed most) earlier godspunk editions. Also: I notice after I dismiss certain contributors with excessively low marks out of 10 I then have the arrogance to award our group 10/10 for Grange Hill . . . which is surely the epitome of conceit.
Note to radio stations and people new to godspunk compilations: before you form an opinion on (for example) Nil By Nose or The Large Veiny Members, I strongly recommend you check out their contributions to previous volumes - because the sheer range and wealth of styles reveals the sum of their work is more significant than their component parts. So, for me (and my absurdly biased and probably limited musical tastes - I’m an Oasis fan, after all) the 3 tracks which most impress this time around are:
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Brindhuft Spocmeg
 - UNIT - Grange Hill
 - S.L.I. - Auburn Hair
I’m pleased pStan included a dedication to Robert Dellar on the tray card, too. It’s a crying shame Robert didn’t live long enough to hear this CD. He supported our work (but always with intelligent criticism) from 1982 onwards.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), April 2016
When I first held godspunk volume sixteen in my hands on Friday 29th April 2016, a thought occurred to me: it was a Friday when I first received copies of godspunk volume one back in 2003. I remember I thought to myself: I wonder if we can persuade pStan to allow us to appear on godspunk volume two? This series of compilations has managed to continue to titillate, irritate, intrigue, fascinate and annoy recipients of its odd mixture of music for 13 years. Ee, lad, that’s real champion. I never liked the front covers or labels very much, despite the glorious colours - I detest clowns, you see? I’ve always found 2 or 3 tracks I’ve really enjoyed, usually by people utterly unknown to me. Then there were those contributions from LDB and the taurus board which I loved . . . whatever happened to them? Well, LDB now lives in America and is a successful author so that’s grand. As for the taurus board, their strange fate remains shrouded in mystery . . . yet while I regret their disappearance from the godspunk canon, there are plenty of new artists and groups to interest me . . . but I still detest clowns.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - FF
It’s the guitarist from Yes - Steve Howe - over there in the background with an acoustic guitar - Howe In The Typewriter perhaps. What an absolutely superb lyric! pStan always does this - hits us with a grim, bleak lyric set to mutant pop music that stays in your head for many hours afterwards. Oh, all right, so I’m biased. I, too, hate, loathe, detest and despise that big fat nothing Facebook. It fades out! I have to deduct a point for such impertinence - or do I? No, because it suddenly blasts back again at the end! Oddly, this is over 5 minutes long yet it seems more like 3 at the most . . . which is generally the sign of a vibrant track. 8/10
 - UNIT - Who
I wrote this for The Apostles in 1988. (I used to be in this woefully inept and very silly little pop group called The Apostles from 1983 to 1989.) We finally recorded a decent version of this in 2015 which we thought might be the definitive rendition . . . but then we recorded it again barely 6 months later in January 2016 for our 31st album. The tempo is slightly too fast and my singing is still abysmal. Well, tough. The lyric is one of my best and the music does it justice, too. It sounds absurdly smooth and commercial compared to the tracks either side of it . . . which amuses me for some reason. Perhaps I’m finally going gaga. 8/10
 - Spam Javelin - Ghetto Scum
Christ, this heavy going - sort of punk rock / heavy metal - definitely not my kind of music . . . not at all. Ugh. Mind you, there’s plenty of power here and there’s nothing wrong with the performance. I can’t give a fair comment on this because I absolutely loathe this musical idiom so it would hardly be fair for me to try. The lyric is damned fine, though - when you can discern the words. Pity they didn’t print the lyric in the booklet because they deserve to be heard . . . related to FF above. 3/10
 - Nil By Nose - Let’s Talk About It
Now regular contributors to godspunk and generally able to submit tracks of considerable variety, often difficult to predict, which is generally a sign of quality. I find this very tedious but this is probably because I’ve never been a fan of taped voices and 1980s drum machines. There is a curious early 1980s audio cassette mien to the work despite its 21st century production which is crisp and clear with plenty of bass. Purveyors and exponents of this genre will probably enjoy it immensely . . . and I hope they do because clearly considerable work has gone into the production of this strange collage. 3/10
 - UNIT - Mia Borowy Buys A Drum Kit
When I was 12 or 13 I never listened to pop pap. I was strictly a fan of classical music - baroque or avant garde. I couldn’t tolerate any of that 19th century romantic pish. I became aware of the existence of Mia and Dan then I thought . . . it might be fun to write a couple of musical tributes to them because we’d already performed this gesture for the 2 children of Ben Watson (who presents Late Lunch With Out To Lunch on Resonance 104.4 fm) Iris and Mordecai (on Rock In Opposition: Phase 6). Recently we completed 3 more tracks - instrumental tributes to Nina, Miranda and Chester, the children of Richard Bentley who presents Hello Goodbye on Resonance every Saturday at midday. Does this track work? Not totally - it needs a more prominent lead melody. To my ears this sounds slightly like a backing track in need of a saxophone, flute or keyboard. Who’s to blame for that then? Well, me, because I wrote it! 7/10
 - The Large Veiny Members - 80s Buddy Cop
Here we go then . . . excellent artwork in the booklet but this track really doesn’t do it for me - basically because I’m not a fan of music that sounds computerised or electronic. Yes, I know, I plunged into that 1990s acid rave nonsense and enjoyed myself like a total feckin’ eejit but despite this thoroughly deplorable aberration in my already flawed personality, I can’t summon any enthusiasm for this although, like the Nil By Nose track, the performance and production are excellent. 3/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Cryptosporidium
Distant music heard blowing across a rainy street by a gloomy character stuck in a crypt - me, probably. Odd fragments of music in different idioms drift past in a slow succession of blurred, indistinct moments like dream images - slightly disturbing but highly effective and oddly rather plangent. 7/10 On a second hearing I’ve changed my mind. 8/10
 - Spam Javelin - Fuck Off
Christ, how’s this for a contrast? This is bloody horrible! Sorry, but it really is . . . although for pure aggression and white hot hostility, I doubt it can be superseded . . . except perhaps by another of their own tracks! 4/10
 - Catholic Overspill Blame dJohn - 1 Rotten Westernote Manipulated
How on Earth is anyone expected to remember the name of this outfit or its bizarre title? Still, it’s better than, say. ‘Ooh Baby by The Creeping Nobodies’. This comes on like mid 1970s acoustic guitar valium rock after it’s been assaulted by a couple of 1990s geeks high on LSD 25 after they’ve had their stash confiscated by the local police. This is extremely stereo - 2 totally different mixes in left and right which create a fragmented yet effective mien. The music itself isn’t especially inspired in terms of harmony or rhythm but this only exaggerates the bizarre production given to it. It needs a bass guitar! 6/10
 - UNIT - A Song For Imogen Boorman
In the same key as the previous piece, this follows most effectively but again, we now sound like a commercial pop group someone has secretly shoved onto godspunk while pStan was having a bath. The numerous puns and televisual allusions create a ballad intended to be humorous and self deprecating yet it disguises a genuinely serious issue - a brief period during the early 1990s when I thought I might finally have begun to cure my dreadful affliction . . . but then I realised the reason I fancied Imogen Boorman is because she looks like a female version of Lee Simpson, this Scottish lad who worked in Edinburgh Botanical Gardens . . . so I was still a horrible little queer. Wretched, isn’t it? My singing isn’t too atrocious this time . . . which makes a bloody change. 8/10
 - seven eves - Horrid Beastliness/Beastly Horridness
This comes on like Cryptosporidium Part 2 . . . son of Cryptosporidium . . . quite effective although I’d like more bass frequencies in there but this is merely a matter of personal taste. 5/10
 - Spam Javelin - Fucking Jerk
I’m starting to appreciate this bunch . . . well, slightly. They really are a curmudgeonly bunch of spite spitting angry louts who probably sound just like I will when I’m made redundant at the end of June. Their presence on this compilation sounds as incongruous as our own contributions . . . which, oddly, seems to work, once you’ve recovered from the initial shock. 4/10
 - Nil By Nose - Battered Crawfish
I have a track called Crawfish by The Streetwalkers (the group formed by Roger Chapman and John Whitney after they disbanded The Family in 1974) and I can almost recognise elements of it underneath all the reverb and strange sounds on offer here. Well, I can’t complain about the bass instruments this time. It grumbles along nicely although I find myself waiting for the main event to happen yet it never arrives . . . which presumably reveals a defect in my own response to the music rather than any fault in the performers / writers. 4/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - How Does It Feel
Ah, can we expect a cover of How Does It Feel by The Squires (1967) or How Does It Feel by Slade (1975)? Of course not: pStan doesn’t need to waste his talent on covers of ancient pop pap by other people. BIRDS! He’s used BIRDS! For this reason alone, pStan will go to heaven. I shall supervise his canonisation personally. There’s a slight chorus effect on the vocals which I find annoying. I like vocals to be crisp, clear and in your face, especially when the singer has a decent voice (like pStan) rather than a feeble squawk (like me). My God but parts of this lyric are grim . . . yet painfully truthful. The music verges on progressive rock in terms of its structure and the frequent changes in tempo and metre. This is actually a really complex piece which sounds even more effective on headphones. 8/10
 - UNIT - Dan Borowy Buys A Bass Guitar
Of course, the other reason I wrote these 2 pieces is to give Fritz and Colin a chance to show their skills and have a bit of a bash, especially because they’re technically more competent musicians than myself. Yes, I know - this sounds like it was written in 1974. Well, I didn’t discover pop music until 1980 and by then it was too late: I soon realised the 1980s meant crap fashions, crap music and crap politics. The 1990s meant nothing at all. By the 21st century the only group whose music interested me was my own . . . so only when I began to investigate pop and rock music of the 1970s (in the early 2000s) did I discover what I’d missed. Odd: these 2 tracks (Mia and Dan) were written in 2016. Who and Look Into The Sky date from the 1980s. Our Imogen was written in 1994 yet there is a slightly 1970s aspect to all of them. Well, fair enough. Anyway, this sounds (to me) more complete and satisfying than its companion, Mia. 9/10
 - Higgins++ - Friends Of Mine
Because our tracks are all keyboard dominated while many of the others (with the exception of Spam Javelin, obviously) tend to rely on synthesisers and electronics, the presence of distorted guitars on this creates a nice contrast. All right, this is absolutely not my kind of music so I probably shouldn’t comment on it since I can hardly be fair to it but the playing is crisp, tight and spot on while the production is heavy, powerful and yet still clear. If you like this idiom then here’s an excellent example of it. 4/10
 - The Large Veiny Members - Black Hole
If Hawkwind had a couple of members (though not necessarily large veiny ones) of Throbbing Gristle in the group, perhaps they’d have recorded a track very much like this. I definitely prefer it to their other opus, that’s for sure. That said, I’d still prefer the addition of a bass guitar or synthesiser playing in the bass register underneath all these intriguing sounds. 6/10
 - Spam Javelin - How Can You Die When You’re Already Dead?
No, I don’t like this at all, despite the presence of yet more vitriolic, vengeful sentiments which make me smile, possibly because I can empathise with the reason someone would wish to write such a lyric. I can think of plenty of rat bags to whom this applies! It fades out! Ah, this is a sin for which no pardon exists . . . music should never fade out. See me. As usual, the performance and the production are excellent, however. 2/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - And He Ran
Oo-er, Missus - this is a bit of a bloody mess, isn’t it? Despite the intriguing lyric, the music sounds like a band trying to play while being shoved down a flight of stairs. 3/10
 - Tirikilatops - Snail Party (Wah!)
Suppose The Lemon Kittens had stayed together and recorded tracks during the 1990s . . . they would sound (I contend) very much like this . . . which from me is high praise indeed. What this needs is a funky bass guitar and (perhaps) the vocals more prominent in the mix. It sounds south east Asian . . . Japanese or Korean . . . which is also commendable. It’s gloriously pretentious nonsense, of course, which is probably why it’s so enjoyable. 7/10
 - UNIT - Look Into The Sky
A golden oldie from 1984 although we recorded this in 2015, this features (shock, horror) an electric guitar in it - a rarity. I am especially proud of this lyric - a legitimate response. The music could be more adventurous but I decided not to tinker with it as I’d received numerous requests from people to make a modern recording of this piece previously wrecked by The Apostles although in those days the music had a different lyric. Yes, this is definitely one of our superior works although it’s a shame my singing voice is so weak and weedy. 9/10
 - Spam Javelin - Life’s A Bastard And Then You’re Dead
Finally, just to prove they really don’t intend to allow any respite, we have . . . what? Oh, I see . . . it’s finished already. God almighty, give me a chance. Let’s hear it again then. Right, as I was saying . . . the 5 tracks by this mob give us 2 Fucks, 2 Deads and a Scum. Is there a theme developing here?
 - Howl In The Typewriter - 20 Gold Pieces
From the shortest track to the longest one. Och, come on, pStan, stop faffing about. What are you playing at? This is beyond doubt the most annoying, irritating and ineffably infuriating mess on the entire collection . . . which reveals just how rich and varied the work of Howl in the Typewriter can be. In fact it would be interesting (and rewarding) to hear every Howl in the Typewriter track from every godspunk collection perhaps issued as a double disc set . . . including this one, despite my adverse reaction to its atrocious kerfuffle. 1/10
Note: you will realise I’ve been rather cruel to certain outfits here, particularly Spam Javelin and Nil By Nose. However, virtuoso manipulators of computers or CD players might care to programme their machines to play each of the tracks by these artists in succession. The effect is interesting: they then sound (to my ears) far more effective in this new context. I’ve no idea why. Try it if you don’t believe me! In response to the complete disc, I notice not once was I ever bored - except during the final 3 or 4 minutes of 20 Gold Pieces - which is significant. True, most of the pieces here are fairly short but that alone doesn’t ensure the absence of tedium. Certain tracks sound better when heard through headphones (Nil By Nose, UNIT, Howl in the Typewriter) while others (Spam Javelin, Higgins++) require large speakers to blast out their sonic deluge for full effect. In summary, this collection requires the presence of our flute playing friend (sorry, pStan, I can never remember what he calls his outfit - insert the name here.......) ["that would be Data's Cat, Mr Martin", said pStan] plus a couple of really mental, off the wall avant garde pieces to complete the picture. That said, it is still a fine body of work.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), July 2015
Because I invariably listen to godspunk compilation in order of artist / group, not in their actual running order (I prefer to listen to various contributions by the same artist / group since I find this makes my review easier to compile) a curious quality of this particular collection arises: the continual (one might say incessant) plethora of tracks imbued with a mechanistic, robotic, harshly electronic mien has an unfortunate consequence. Where these tracks when heard in isolation (or, say, after a Coldplay track - assuming anyone out there is daft enough to possess any Coldplay tracks) sound big, bold, powerful and impressive, when clustered together on a single disc, their impact is severely diminished. This is unfortunate. I listened to the album again - this time with the tracks in the order compiled by pStan - and there is a marginal improvement but not enough to obviate my complaint: this collection, though abundant in quality, is deficient in variety - a comment I never believed it would ever be necessary to issue with reference to an edition of godspunk.
 - Nil By Nose - Grass Skirt, No Pineapple
Early 1980s industrial / electronic soundscape (cf Lustmord - The Nocturnal Emissions - SPK) given a contemporary digital workout and then some. Very robotic / mechanical / insistent - a thundering sonic bludgeon without armour piercing volume - pop music written and performed by Cybermen. Problem: I really like this . . . which means a whole host of other people won’t. You know the type: there’s no bloody tune, you can’t hear the words, why in my day they used to play real songs et cetera. I say - stuff 'em. This would really cause mass mental breakdowns among ecstasy ridden chavs if it was played in a club in Ibiza circa 1995. 8/10
 - The Large Veiny Members - A Covenant
Aargh - death by drum machine - killed by a Casio. How many Gameboy keyboard sounds can you squeeze into a 6 minute track? This many. I don’t dig repetition so this was never destined to be top of my playlist but it does change and evolve in a minimalist manner although I’d like more bass frequency stuff grumbling away underneath all those Gameboys. Technical note: this sounds far more exciting and effective when heard through headphones. 6/10
 - Shaun Robert - Namaste
You’re watching an obscure French film - psychological thriller with a supernatural or science fiction element, all muted colours and metallic sheen - but the soundtrack’s faulty and most of the dialogue is inaudible - well, then, that means you’re listening to this. Definitely not my kind of music BUT definitely interesting and probably merits repeated listens. This, too, sounds more effective through headphones. 4/10
 - Nightclub In A Volcano - Pipebomb
There’s an electronic / synthesised / machine driven groove to many of the tracks featured on this compilation which imbues the collection with a kind of post-techno ethos I find tedious after a while (a short while, too). Heard in isolation, works such as this are quite effective. This is profoundly unpleasant - all the wrong sounds played in all the right places - I know this is so because, despite my aversion to techno and repetition, I never find this boring or tedious. Then again, maybe I’m simply turning into a Cyberman. Note: this piece should be played after you’ve listened to a track by (for example) Rammstein (at one end of the spectrum) or Coldplay (at the other) for full effect. The repeated loop ‘teenagers’ sounds strangely disturbing, too. 6/10
 - The Lampost Gullivers - The Tragedy Of The Lampost Gullivers
Big Up The Bass! What an absolutely superb bass guitar sound complete with grime drums and distant TG / A Certain Ratio trumpet + Rammstein guitars. Black Sabbath (without the big hair mindless macho postures) as performed by The Pop Group - which can’t be bad, can it? Well, provided you don’t enjoy Black Sabbath (like me) and do enjoy The Pop Group (like me). This does become too repetitive after a while - well, after 3 minutes in my case but you know what a difficult bugger I can be these days so don’t take too much notice of my feeble complaints. 5/10
 - The Lampost Gullivers - French Disco Punks
Everything I said about their first contribution applies here but now with New Improved up-tempo feature and a hint of a tune BUT if you’re going to have a vocalist then turn his voice up in the mix and let’s all hear what he’s singing about, chaps, no? No? Oh, all right then, have it your own way. Here, I’ll tell you what: this is one hell of a bloody racket, pal. You could demolish Victorian houses with this track. 7/10
 - The Atom Furnace - Alien Carnage
Well, I did say (elsewhere) I wanted more bass frequencies . . . and here they are - in spades . . . and shovels. If ever a track merited the appellation ‘industrial’ in its most literal sense then this is it. SPK + Whitehouse + 1990s acid rave gone horribly (i.e. wonderfully) awry. Oh if only that vocal was louder / clearer in the mix so we could all savour it. 8/10
 - The Atom Furnace - Evilution
Suppose Throbbing Gristle had decided to adopt a change in their musical direction and become a heavy metal outfit. Then it would sound very much like this except (sigh) this time the vocal is too loud and the music too . . . well, not quiet exactly - there’s nothing quiet about this track - but too distant, as if it’s being played in the next warehouse while the vocalist crouches on the doorstep and growls in your ear. 5/10
 - Dumb Robot Pilot - Ringmaster
Think: late 1980s mutant disco meets Brit pop outfit in a very, very bad mood - turn up the bass and let this do your demolition jobs for you. Personally I’d like less distortion effects on the guitar and the bass guitar slightly louder but this piece, as they say (ahem) kicks arse, baby. When the keyboard enters around 2 minutes in, the work suddenly enters a 1990s TV theme tune vibe which I really like - an alternative theme tune for Grange Hill perhaps. This is large, chunky, technically proficient post-punk with a glorious production - the ‘a’ side of the single. 9/10
 - Dumb Robot Pilot - Happy Smashing Fun Time
Old skool pop song inna pop punk vibe innit? Mindless lyric (for a valid reason) observes mindless numpties desperate to have a happy smashing fun time . . . until the cash is exhausted - then it’s back to the bedsit and the misery. Underneath the machine driven will-be-happy-at-all-costs desperation is a profoundly bleak mien highly appropriate in a nation whose population have been stripped of most of the liberties and freedoms for which our fathers and mothers fought so valiantly during the previous decades. Oo-er missus. 5/10
 - Dumb Robot Pilot - Doreen
BIG keyboards already - but that’s all. A largely monophonic theme with, er, not much else to support it other than the BIG production and BIG keyboard sound . . . well, I hope Doreen appreciates it - because I don’t. (Ooh, that was a bit catty, wasn’t it? No need for that attitude, old bean. Well, honestly, after their magnificent Ringmaster, I expected something with more wellie.) 2/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Woodchip Of The Mind
Right then - let’s see what these cunts have to say for themselves. Yes, just as I thought - what quality does this track possess that is absent from any of those by the other outfits reviewed so far? This: when any one of those tracks commence, they continue in their selected genre / idiomatic language until their conclusion. This starts with prominent voice and bass guitar coupled with distant fractured guitar / keyboard sounds in one tempo then the music transmutes into a faster tempo with a mutant pop flavour before it slides into a groove that is almost (but not quite) a ballad. In other words, I could not predict how the next 2 thirds of the track would proceed based upon hearing its initial third. Imagine Alternative TV had interesting ideas (for a change) and had finally learned to play their instruments . . . they might sound like this. Not one of my favourites but still an impressive opus. 7/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Jacob Swift
Rap / grime meets a Disney filmscore soundtrack with a quite bizarre - even surreal - lyric. This is a fast and frenetic burst of spitting bars until 2 minutes in when the tempo slows suddenly and the music becomes slightly more malevolent. Comment: these words sound to me as if they are important . . . so if I had access to his tapes / files then I’d lower the volume of the backing track and raise the volume of the vocal so we could all hear the text clearly. 6/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Little Ball Of Badness
You what? Sorry, I coughed and missed it. Let’s hear it again, please. Oh, right, I see - 1234, a power chord implies the start of a slice of punk rock but it dies away as pStan says there’s no man living can shit in the skip of God. You what? Daft I call it. 4/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - The Toaster
First - we’re in the 1990s and it sounds as if the taurus board have returned but then the tempo changes and pStan searches through his drawer to search for his freedom . . . because he’s sure it was there a minute ago. This is an immensely sad, plangent lyric set to profoundly inappropriate music. It ought not to work . . . but it does! My God but his mercurial mind emanates some curious soundscapes now and then. Nevertheless the music is (slightly) irritating to me because . . . actually I’m really not sure why. Still, at least it is never predictable. 6/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Three Zero Five
Slide guitar, bongos and bass guitar provide a curiously 1970s flavoured folk-pop track which is really not my kind of music but - apart from the sound of pStans’ voice - could easily be by a different outfit entirely. In fact, because I chose to listen to these Howl in the Typewriter tracks in succession, what strikes me instantly is that they all sound as if they’re created by different contributors, each of whom feature pStan as a guest vocalist . . . then, at 3'43'' it stops . . . and we wait . . . and we wait. Suddenly, pStan tells about Jacob Swift and a couple of outcasts he encountered on the street. To be brutally honest, this 2 minutes of speech (which sounds as if it is recorded outside in a street) is more immediately arresting than anything else on this entire compilation. How odd! 4/10
 - UNIT - A Song For Barbara Jackson
How can I write about our own group and be objective? I can’t. Compared to (almost) every other track by every other contributor this piece exudes harmonic invention I find absent elsewhere. The bass guitar ought to be louder. My singing ought to be in tune and in time. Well, we ought to have a decent singer in our group, full stop. There, that’s soon said. It’s still one of the most inventive pop anthems I’ve ever written which is partly why we’ve included it here. Note: this is not the version included on our album The Workshop. Barbara was one of 5 people who befriended me when I was an inmate of Amery Hill School (1976-1980). The others were Susan Wilkins, Eric Cooper, Wayne Gibson and Wayne Johnson. 9/10
 - UNIT - A Song For Danny Wentworth
I don’t know why I keep returning to the blues, albeit usually in its urban electric form. I think the music is appropriate for the personality of Danny Wentworth who was (well, besides rather physically appealing) a total hedonist with regard to sex and drugs yet he revealed a razor sharp intelligence and social awareness generally hidden under a facile persona cultivated as a means of survival. Amery Hill School was one of the most brutal and despicable educational establishments in the country during the 1960s and 1970s. No wonder Danny took drugs. Every incident described in the lyric actually happened! My vocal (sigh, whinge) just isn’t good enough, though, is it? No, Sir, it most decidedly is not. 7/10
 - UNIT - Danny Wentworth
Well, at least I can’t complain about my vocals here because it’s a purely instrumental track. This is a depiction of Danny which is entirely successful but you’d need to meet the lad to appreciate it . . . which means its efficacy is lost on 99% of the listeners. The bass guitar playing by Fritz is superb and Colin gives it wellie on the drums. My keyboard playing is acceptable, too. The harmonic sequence on keyboard at the start and in the middle are direct quotations from the 1st movement of the Symphony No.6 by Franz Schubert. Danny often complained about my love of classical music so this is my belated revenge. 8/10
 - UNIT - A Song For Wayne Johnson
This is a new recording of the piece, not the version recorded for The Workshop in 2012. If my vocal sounds ragged (which I suspect it probably does) this is because it took me 15 attempts before I was able to sing this ballad from start to finish without breaking down in tears. Even now, I find it unbearable to listen to this. Oh, it’s played excellently by all 3 of us although the bass drum and bass guitar should be more prominent. The 5/4 metre lends an unsettling aspect to the piece appropriate for poor Wayne who did indeed 'take one tab of LSD too many' but when he left the school and was placed under psychiatric care for a few months, the primarily culprit was that despicable school rather than the drug. My love of nature, wildlife and ornithology are completely due to his magnificent influence upon me, for which I will forever be grateful. 9/10
 - UNIT - A Song For Wayne Gibson
In 1978 Brother Nicholas and Brother Andrew, 2 monks from the Abbey on Kings Hill, Beech, near Alton in Hampshire, decided I was intensely lonely (which I was) and urgently required a friend (which I did) so they put me in contact with Wayne Gibson, a boy shunned and despised by almost every boy and girl in our class at school. They dismissed him as a glue sniffer - in fact, the reason he often stank of glue was because he was addicted to Airfix world war two model aircraft. He collected the entire set (with my assistance) and constructed them (without my assistance) in his bedroom. He was obsessed with commercial vehicles, too - vans, trucks, lorries, coaches and buses. The 3 instrumental breaks (in 5/4, 7/4 and an alternating 9/8 - 5/8 figure) provide a respite from my frenetic rap which features actual events and incidents from our lives. I provide full accounts of these in 2 of my books: Faded Fragments Of Distant Dreams (DNA BOOK 003) and I Wish I Was Dead (DNA BOOK 006) the latter of which has yet to be printed but is due to be published before the end of the year. The music’s pretty groovy, too! 8/10
So who provides the most immediately impressive contribution this time around? Dumb Robot Pilot, obviously! I note very few tracks score less than 5/10 on this occasion where usually I grind my teeth and fulminate vengefully upon this or that contributor before I dismiss them with a paltry 1 or 2 out of 10. Technically this is possibly the most accomplished and proficiently performed / produced edition of godspunk in its history . . . but it is most definitely not the most varied. Is this important? Not necessarily - but the inclusion of Mr Tree (for example) and our flute playing genius [that's Data's Cat - Ed] would have been most welcome.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 12th October 2014
"The Obligatory Review or How To Make Oneself Extremely Unpopular"
Perhaps it is the presence of all those really short tracks with their humorous voices and sundry sound effects but in total, this disc does offer one salient property: it is never pompous or pretentious. The mixture of more conventional pieces (songs, ballads and instrumentals with recognisable melodies, harmonies and rhythms) with surreal scraps of sound, strangely haunting works and all those really short snippets conspire to create one of the more eclectic godspunk collections which I suspect will not please many radio stations but I hope I’m wrong. Note: the sound quality and the production of every work on this collection is very high - I mean, compare the pieces on this disc to, say, godspunk volume one, two or three. Perhaps technology has advanced significantly since then to enable more people to create professional quality recordings without the necessity of recording studios.
 - Babobo - Swanging (We’re)
This sounds very similar in style to Tirikilatops except now we’re in a reggae groove and (apparently) we’re swanging . . . sorry, I know it’s originally written as swangin’ but I dislike apocapations intensely. 4/10
 - Shaun Robert - Mythology
Odd, fragmented noises behind what might be an acoustic guitar accompanied by squeaks prove our attempts at the avant garde pale into insignificance by comparison. Lost the thread of what I’m doing, he says. You said it, pal . . . but then this suddenly becomes a commentary on recording a piece of sound collage while it’s being recorded . . . mirrors against mirrors, wheels within wheels, eclipse over eclipse . . . if you see what I mean. Most of this is extremely quiet, which makes a pleasant change but . . . (sigh) . . . I quickly lose patience with it. 5/10 . . . or is it? It sounds as if a fair amount of time, energy and effort was involved so I’ll play it again . . . now isn’t that odd? It wasn’t nearly so tedious the second time around. I’ll tell you this as well: it works much better on headphones. 7/10
 - Ddong - Rock & Roll Is Never Die
It’s those flaming Japanese cockroaches again! I think Babobo, Tirikilli-whatsit and Ddong are all the same person / people / insects. Right . . . where’s my can of fly spray? 3/10
 - Cow - Bomiya
It’s those flaming Japanese cockroaches yet again! I think Babobo, Tirikilli-whatsit, Ddong and Cow are all the same person / people / insects . . . again. I need another can of fly spray, quick. 2/10
 - Nil By Nose - Bikini Atoll Beach Party
This is the longest track on here so let’s see what they have for us. A recording of a news reporter informing his audience of the events surrounding the nuclear test on Bikini Atoll . . . which sounded really bleak and effective until that flipping drum machine blundered in and utterly ruined the atmosphere. That’s it, mate, you’ve completely spoiled it now - me perceptive aura’s gone for a burton. Christ, doesn’t it go on . . . and on? Normally I find this bunch quite interesting but not this time - sorry, chaps. 2/10
 - Sil Pid - Ten Years
I mean, why? What’s the point? Am I a miserable old git because this irritates me intensely? Probably. I played it again just to make sure . . . no, I was right the first time - sorry, chaps. 1/10
 - Dimm D3ciple - Theo’s Lullaby
This outfit are frequent contributors to godspunk and it’s easy to see why: they are rarely bereft of intriguing ideas, not all of which work (in my opinion) but that doesn’t matter. There’s a gentle, whimsical and almost plangent aura to this piece that makes me think of Home Time by Throbbing Gristle . . . which from me is high praise indeed. For my taste this continues for too long without any change to the basic acoustic guitar riff. 5/10. No, it’s no good, I’ll have to play this again because I don’t think I’m being fair . . . I was right to do so. This, like the piece by Shaun Robert, works better the second time around, especially on headphones. 7/10
 - Baby S*** Pad - Cowboy Song
I’m just old enough to remember when the first cassette recorders became commercially available. Drunken dads would record any old bollocks onto the machine they’d bought for their daughter’s 12th birthday to check the machine worked . . . which is what this piece sounds like. 5/10
 - Benny Fitfraughd - Epistle To The Bottle
This actually made me laugh out loud - it’s so ridiculous yet also highly evocative - and it proves I’m not always a miserable, grumpy old git . . . just most of the time. 7/10
 - Kimchi - Iccccc
Well, sorry if I don’t sound very sympathetic, dear, but if you will strip naked and then plant your arse on a plateful of drawing pins, what do you expect? 6/10
 - Royal Spud Hair - U.N.I.T.
I will most certainly not say this song is s*** because I dislike swearing and I suspect the other members of the group would disagree with me anyway, Colin Murrell especially. He tends to enjoy many of the tracks I find excessively irritating . . . which leads me to believe it ought to be he who reviews these compilations rather than me since, to be fair, I’m probably not the most appropriate person so to so. ‘Along with the other song’ he sings . . . what other song? There’s only one piece by Royal Spud Hair on here. Is telling me I’ll ‘say this song is s***’ likely to make me change my mind about it? Actually, I don’t believe I have ever dismissed any piece of music on a godspunk album as rubbish simply because I don’t happen to like listening to it. Just because I don’t like a piece of music, I do not say it is rubbish - conversely, if I enjoy a piece of music, I don’t automatically claim it to be ‘good’. I am aware I occasionally enjoy pieces of music (certain avant garde classical works) which I suspect constitute nothing more than wretched examples of sonic doodles risen above their station while I cannot stand Mozart or Wagner even though technically I am aware the music itself is superb. Advice: ignore my comments if they offend you. You can’t expect me to like everything, can you? Compensation: some of my comments about certain UNIT tracks we’ve contributed over the years have occasionally made the other group members angry so this just proves I really am a grumpy git who spends far too many hours listening to Gentle Giant and Colosseum . . . probably. 1/10
 - The Revolutionary Army Of The Nation State Of Dave - National Anthem
It almost takes longer to speak the name of the artist and the track title than it does to play the track which is more muffled voice over sundry percussion . . . with a vaguely African feel. 4/10
 - Tirikilatops - Hannom
You what? At 12 seconds this is finished before I’ve even had time to . . . just a minute (or, if you prefer, just 12 seconds) let’s listen to this daft stuff again. It sounds like a school girl rapping in Japanese with a kind of hip hop beat underneath - rather bonkers but strangely appealing. 6/10
 - Tirikilatops - Horibochi Fkr.
One of those insects lays on its back while someone tickles it . . . thoroughly daft. I’ve just realised: imagine a whole album of this stuff! Actually, come to think it, no, the more I consider it, the more I realise such a project would be deeply disturbing. 5/10
 - Scraps & Peawet - Scraps & Peawet
Psychotic country and western for insects, that’s what this is: a couple of cockroaches decide to give it the Nashville routine. 14 seconds it may be but it’s still sufficiently long to irritate this progressive rocker. 4/10
 - Scraps & Peawet - Ants In Me House
This reminds me of The Lemon Kittens only . . . er . . . more so. A querulous voice over a sort of fuzzy synthesiser (possibly). Maybe a whole album of this kind of stuff wouldn’t be so bad after all. 5/10
 - The Large Veiny Members - Another Lizard Is Born
Oh yes, I remember this bunch from previous godspunk collections . . . I preferred their contributions then. This is all too mechanical, machine driven and electronic for my taste but then I’m a Gentle Giant fan so how can you possibly expect an informed opinion from such a sad old bugger? Ugh . . . it’s horrible. 3/10
 - The Large Veiny Members - Sambucca Revisions
More electronic, mechanical, computerised robot music from a group whose name Tim Jones refused to say on his radio programme although I can’t see why. It obviously refers to muscular forearms. Anyway, this drones on and on and makes me want to kill something - which either proves I’m crap at being a vegetarian or else it means this is music to play to prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. 2/10
 - Dumb Robot Pilot - Golden Age
There’s a definite 1980s vibe to these cats - the mechanical drums and fearful keyboards remind me of the reason I stopped listening to 95% of pop music during the decade when Grange Hill was God. However, there’s part of me that really likes New Order and that’s the part that enjoys this splendid groove. It’s clean, crisp and grinds along nicely such that it is impossible not to dance to it. I wish there were more than just 2 chords though. 8/10
 - Dumb Robot Pilot - Mekanika
Again, while this is clean, crisp and dance friendly, it stays in the same key all the time and quickly becomes tediously repetitive . . . which is a shame because with more chord changes this would be a kicking tune. 5/10
 - Dumb Robot Pilot - Space Bug
What? You what? Let’s check the track list again . . . no, according to the tray card, this really is Dumb Robot Pilot. Okay then - guitars, bass guitar and drums - maybe this is what DRP sound like in 1976 whereas the other 2 tracks are DRP recorded circa 1985. Anyway, suddenly, I have far more respect for this bunch because I could never have predicted the creators of Golden Age and Mekanika could also have produced this slab of rock riffery. I am mightily impressed. I still prefer Golden Age but only just - this rocks! 7/10
 - Bartles - Greetings From Ceausescu
I’m going to assume this grumbling synthesiser shocker is an all out assault on communism because then I can really enjoy it. Musically minimalist, this concentrates on the lyric and it provides a welcome blast of realism amongst all this other stuff, delightful though it may be - grim, malevolent, sarcastic and strangely haunting. 8/10
 - Bartles - Calling All Humans
All right, here we go - if this isn’t the very best track on the whole album, I’m a red necked phalarope. Minimal percussion and a truly demented vocal read the riot act to the human race. I imagine a dingo, a llama or some other lesser known mammal giving humanity their marching orders . . . a mammal in mushroom cloud laying mood, simple, direct and extremely powerful. 10/10
 - Bartles - False Face Society Blues / I Cut A Mask
Now, unfortunately, while the vocal is splendid (I wish I had a voice like that) and the lyric is superb - wildlife and nature takes its revenge on cheap and nasty tourists - the music is almost moronically repetitive, all guitars, bass guitar and drums playing the same riff over and over again. 2/10
 - UNIT - Sniffled In World Body Bag
The drums are a bit muffled, aren’t they? Also, sorry chaps, but your time keeping is somewhat elastic in places . . . the drums are in time, the bass guitar is in time and the piano is in time . . . but not necessarily with each other . . . yet then, with Colins’ stuff, it’s equally possible it’s meant to be like that. This is the first time we’ve sent a brace of tracks for inclusion on a godspunk in which I am not featured on any of the pieces. This makes it far easier for me to review and, for that matter, listen to . . . because I don’t have to endure my feeble wittering scrawny voice or my clumsy keyboard playing . . . so there. 7/10
 - UNIT - Iris Watson
Although I wrote the bass guitar and drum parts, Fritz and Colin interpret these in their own manner while Adrian was given a choice: play my charts or invent his own. I’m pleased he invented his own - they’re more interesting and inventive than the notes I gave him to play. Note for that bloody Dutch reviewer: the middle section does not go ‘out of time’ - it’s in 5/4 you berk. Still, what can you expect from people who think The Pixies are the best band in the world? 8/10
 - UNIT - Chinese Fantasy
There’s an almost outrageously commercial aspect to Michaels’ music which makes it (to me) highly appealing. This was supposed to be supported by bass guitar and drums but the rest of us persuaded Michael to leave the piece as a piano solo and we were right to do so. However, Michael did ask me to add the birds which, in retrospect, should have been mixed further back so they don’t dominate. Sorry - my fault. You should never leave me unsupervised in charge of bird sounds - they’ll always be louder than everything else. 7/10
 - UNIT - Final Fantasy
I can see why pStan chose to place this after Atrophy - like emerging from a tunnel - the birds (nightingale, song thrush) were added by me at the request of Michael. I don’t like acoustic guitars much but this piece is so ‘not UNIT’ that I rather enjoy it. 6/10
 - UNIT - Mordecai Watson
Mordecai and Iris are the son and daughter of Ben Watson who presents a regular programme called Late Lunch With Out To Lunch every Wednesday afternoon at 2 pm on Resonance 104.4 FM or, if you have broadband, resonancefm.com. The middle section (in 7/4) just grooves along and it actually sounds like a group enjoying themselves . . . which, with UNIT, is not always the case. Anyway, this and its sister are 2 of my favourite tracks, partly because I don’t appear on them! 8/10
 - UNIT - Deutschland Du Warst Als Kind Schon Scheisse
Although credited as being by UNIT this is actually a solo performance by Fritz and it is quite simply the best piece we have recorded for many years. There is no programming and there are no computers used here - the whole piece was played manually on various analogue keyboards. The rhythm track was derived from a bass drum beat put through a fuzz box and played manually on a sampler. The lyric attacks all those German industries owned and run by successful capitalists who were involved in the Hitler Youth or other Nazi groups during world war two. 9/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - The Girl On The Pink Bicycle
This is one of those 1970s influenced rockers which starts in a certain groove then unexpectedly changes course a third of the way in - which is one of the many reasons why I often enjoy HitT works. Yet again, pStan gives us an almost painfully acerbic lyric: ‘I’m ashamed to share this town with you’. 8/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Transmitting To Earth
HitT generally start with a pop song or a rock anthem and later on, you can be fairly certain there’ll be an avant garde soundscape or (as is the case here) a piece which incorporates voice overs from disparate sources. This (to my mind) is related to Calling All Humans (lyrically) but reminds me of late period Sun Ra (musically) even though it doesn’t actually sound like any Arkestra piece I’ve ever heard. That said, I find the music rather dreary and repetitive even though it is entirely appropriate for the text. 5/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Atrophy
Throbbing Gristle without all the boring bits - Lustmord and The Nocturnal Emissions as they ought to sound. However, there’s nothing old fashioned or retrospective about this (not that there’s anything wrong with music which possesses these qualities) but, like Dumb Robot Pilot, HitT prove they can rock out with a pop anthem then enter into pure Lemon Kittens / Nurse With Wound territory when required. This is generally quiet and yet contains more menace and malevolence than any amount of Whitehouse tracks you care to name. 9/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Spider Respects Nothing
This is almost film music - soundtrack to a Japanese art film or an anime perhaps. Parts of it are virtually atonal and certainly if you played this to me and asked me to guess the name of the group responsible, I wouldn’t have realised it was HitT. pStan doesn’t often write / record purely instrumental tracks which makes this and Atrophy even more welcome, purely for variety. 7/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - One Eyed God
Christ, we’re into Doctor Who territory until the bass guitar kicks in and then pStan returns with a blistering assault on that chewing gum for eyes known as television. The music ranges from late 1970s rock to 1990s acid rave and God knows where else in between. Because the lyric is relentless in its aggression and the music plays smoothly its complexity is not immediately apparent - this is usually a sign of quality - after all, we want to appreciate the performance of the machine, not marvel at the diodes and circuitry of which it is comprised. I think the reason some of pStans’ lyrics are so effective is because they combine anger and humour - a potent mixture. 8/10
So there we have it: for me the top 3 tracks are:
 - Bartles: Calling All Humans.
 - Howl in the Typewriter: Atrophy.
 - UNIT: Deutschland Du Warst Als Kind Schon Scheisse.
Now for the revelation. I noted my generally very low marks for nearly all those really short snippets and realised often this represented a reaction to the works based on their presence between longer pieces on the album (I erroneously came to regard them as interruptions rather than works in their own right) rather than for their intrinsic merits and I am aware this reveals a most unfair review . . . so I programmed my computer to play each of these pieces in succession. I recommend virtuoso players of CDs do the same. It works! At least, I didn’t find any of these pieces remotely irritating or annoying although I did find the experience somewhat dada! For me the major discovery of the set was Dumb Robot Pilot. I hope they make contributions to future godspunk collections. The work of Shaun Robert also intrigues me. Request: please can the main colour on the next godspunk be a shade of blue, green or purple? I’m hacked off with all these reds and oranges!

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), October 2013
 - John Tree - Not Any More
Regular readers may recall how I frequently acknowledge the technical facility of this chap then damn him to perdition for boring me to distraction with music that is absolutely not the kind of stuff I’d ever wish to hear. We clearly have very divergent and probably incompatible tastes. However, finally, after all this time, he’s created a piece I actually like; I even played it through a second time before I listened to any of the other tracks on this collection. Take Five Or Six, Eyeless In Gaza and a hint of The Shock Headed Peters, when each of these groups are at their most restrained and subtle . . . oh yes, that’s how highly I rate this track . . . which is strange because generally I dislike slow, gentle music and I detest works that stay glued in one key throughout their duration so I really ought to find this tedious - yet I most certainly do not. My one caveat is that it does possess a slight late 1990s droning groove now and then but this may be deliberate - The Chemical Brothers without the dance beat. 8/10
 - The Flesheaters - Graveyard Love
The bass guitar is a little too prominent and the vocals are far too quiet - which is a shame because, in the latter instance, much of the humour and impact of this delightful little pastiche of bad taste 1960s pop songs is diminished. I admit I loathe this, not because there’s anything wrong with the music or lyrics but because I simply dislike this kind of idiom. Still, for enthusiasts of this genre, if the vocals were louder in the mix I expect they’d rate this highly and why not? The performance is crisp and well executed; there’s a hint (perhaps not intentional) of The Fall in the drums and guitar lines but that’s hardly a cause for complaint, is it? 2/10
 - Dimm D3ciple - The Prozac Song
I find this slow, dreary, almost moronic dirge with its half speed vocal absolutely horrible. Even at 2 minutes I sat here and suffered! Now, I remember I praised and lauded a goodly number of their previous works which indicates an ability on their behalf to produce pieces which reveal variety and originality - fair enough - but I still detest this - sorry, chaps. Mind you, to be fair: this piece doesn’t sound like anything else I’ve ever heard. 1/10
 - Shaun Robert - Portal
There’s a curiously Lemon Kittens mien about this which is high praise indeed - but the first time I played it I found it boring, irritating and tedious, apart from a few seconds here and there where sounds sparkled and glittered among the sonic morass. Intrigued I played it a second time; I’m glad I did. On my second encounter, it reminded me very much of Dome and I wondered how I could possibly have formulated my previous opinion. I can imagine listeners virtually ignoring this as just so much indistinct faffing about before they move onto the next track but believe me, it does merit a second and third hearing. Oh all right, don’t believe me then . . . it’s your loss. 7/10
 - Nil By Nose - Contacting Hassocks
When Whitehouse, Ramleh and Lustmord make their electronic industrial racket, I find them intensely tedious. When The Nocturnal Emissions and Konstruktivists do the same, I find them intriguing and enjoyable. This work suggests the creators have been listening to The Nocturnal Emissions and Konstruktivists. Look, let’s not faff about with subtle hints in order to be polite - this work is a bloody racket - but it’s an interesting bloody racket. I listened to this again on headphones and here you experience the full impact - this piece is extremely dense with plenty of different sounds and noises quite carefully combined (or at least that’s how it sounds) but it is a more extreme example of the genre and I doubt many other people will find it as diverting as did I. Radio play - hardly - which is a shame because I could respect a DJ brave enough to launch this baby onto the airwaves. 9/10
 - The Melodramatic Monkey - The Ritualistic Mating Dance Of The West Highland Terrier & The Fluorescent Floating Human Eyeball
With a Hammond organ, a baritone saxophone, a deep growling bass guitar and a funky drum beat, how could I not immediately turn up the volume and jive around to this groove? Then, 90 seconds in, a flute enters - straight out of a Stax record from 1975. An abrupt change of mood and mode introduces strangely disjointed vocals and a Glaswegian lost soul asking questions in the firmament. When the bass guitar and sampled brass enter underneath this vocalise, the work enters magickal territory. There’s even a smattering of wah wah guitar for those of you who like that kind of show. However, these apparently retrogressive references to historical idioms fail to impede the ability of this work to sound contemporary and vibrant in an utterly 21st century manner. THIS PIECE IS ABSOLUTELY BLOODY BRILLIANT AND ANYONE WHO DISAGREES WITH ME IS A BUFFOON. 10/10
 - The Large Veiny Members - Dancing Ants
With its strangely ethereal electronic sounds and lilting vocal I ought to enjoy this but I don’t - I wonder why that should be then? I think the continual drone in one key is the primary reason this aggravates me so much. Certainly the vocal is the main reason I’m able to listen to this while only becoming slightly homicidal. 3/10
 - The Large Veiny Members - Discotheque Repetition
Initially it would be difficult to believe this track was produced by the same creators as those responsible for Dancing Ants - which in my opinion is a cause for commendation. Unfortunately the constant robotic sampled drum beat, fragmented keyboard and murky vocal, occasionally spiced up with odd metallic percussive effects later in the piece, only irritate me intensely, probably because I dislike repetition of any kind (usually). The sound is clear and crystalline. Perhaps this track might be more effective played in a nightclub or even (ahem) a discotheque. 4/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Memory
After a strangely uncertain 6/8 prelude flavoured with 1980s keyboards we launch into one of those marvellously mutated pop songs with which Howl in the Typewriter have become justifiably associated over the years. Although this is not one of my favourites, one facet of the work generates a question: pStan has contributed 4 or 5 tracks per disc on each collection since 2005 and yet still manages to surprise, intrigue, enrapture, confound, confuse and (occasionally) infuriate me. I suspect it is not possible for this chap to exhaust his store of ideas and creativity. Maybe by godspunk volume twenty-seven he’ll start to repeat himself. 7/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - The Things That May Or May Not Be True
Sampled Americans engage in a silly dialogue while pStan plink plonks away on a banjo in the next room . . . until a minute has passed when suddenly we’re flung into 1990s disco mode with utterly no mercy. Then, after 2 and a half minutes, we’re back to that flipping banjo again and we’re treated to a voice which sounds like that chap who spoke over early Psychic TV tracks . . . Christ, this is tedious! 2/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Glass Heart
You know what I said earlier about repetition and pieces which stay in 1 or 2 keys for their entire duration? Well, here’s a slow, plodding dirge which alternates in 4/4 between 2 chords a tone apart . . . again and again for interminable length (or so it seems). The feedback sounds and the bitter, mournful vocal / lyric raise this above total monotony, however. 5/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - (traditional)
Often I’ll mention the names of other groups in my descriptions in order to aid readers who have yet to purchase the disc and thus give them a few musical signposts although these only serve a useful function if those same readers have actually heard of the groups I mention - most of which are rather obscure so I suspect I’ve not succeeded in my attempt. Well, I defy anyone anywhere to name a single group who have produced a work similar to or which sounds like this. The keyboard lines are superb. Nursery rhymes and old fashioned playground tunes and chants are incorporated into a strangely disturbing piece which might be a study of the manner in which the minds of very young children perceive the world - then again I may simply be writing pretentious bollocks. 6/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Your Brain Is aJah
Each Howl in the Typewriter track is separated by only 2 tracks from other groups so pStan is in full effect here, hitting us with a new work every 3 tracks. Unaccompanied vocals in a vaguely 1970s soul funk vibe are occasionally treated with electronic effects but their presence is subtle. Nearly 4 minutes of unaccompanied vocals could be tedious but instead pStan gives us his most effective and impressive work yet (so far as this disc is concerned). You see, this is why so much conventional pop music is so ineffably onerous: how many of them would consider recording a track scored only for solo vocals and manage to do so in a manner that is dramatic, funky and enjoyable? 8/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - The RooHniverse
Someone finds an old reel to reel tape of a third rate hippie combo circa 1972 and tries to reconstruct it without knowing how the music is supposed to sound . . . result: this infernal mess! I like the bass guitar sound but that’s all I like about it. Hawkwind gone horribly wrong . . . or something. Bah, sod it, I give up. 3/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Howl in the Typewriter in Dereks’ Briefcase
At 7 tracks, this just may be the most number of tracks pStan has ever contributed to one of these collections (if you discount the disc on which one of his pieces was split into umpteen short sections). If I had to depict a sonic interpretation of a kaleidoscope then this would be similar to how I would imagine it to sound. That doesn’t mean I actually enjoy the experience, of course. Oh, I like the concept - assuming I comprehend it correctly - but somehow the net result induces in me an impression of a track which fails to realise its potential. 4/10
 - UNIT - Anthrax
Over the past few years we’ve recorded far too many versions of works by other groups. That we should record a new rendition of this is annoying, to say the least. I can appreciate why the others felt it necessary to do so - this certainly reveals more clarity, precision and impact than the previous attempt (on our double album Civil Disobedience issued in early 2012 but recorded late in 2011). However, in my opinion, The Gang Of Four did it better . . . so there. 5/10
 - UNIT - White Trash
This is a major remix of another track from Civil Disobedience which I made because it deserves to be heard and heard in its proper glory. It is one of the best ballads I’ve ever written (despite - or perhaps because - of the 1970s groove) but (sigh) why do I so often achieve such attainments only when I’m being thoroughly nasty about other people? In case any of the recipients (Garlen Lo, Thanh Trung Nguyen, Wong Yit Sinh, Luc Tran or UJ) wish to come round to our houses to beat us up, I admit (after 2 years) that this is not really a proper UNIT piece since every instrument and vocal is performed by me - no other member of the group appears on this piece. 10/10
 - UNIT - Eric Cooper
This is the same track which appears on our album The Workshop from 2012. We’ve included it here because Ben Watson of Late Lunch With Out To Lunch (Resonance 104.4 fm) featured it on his programme and we were intrigued not only by his comments but also by the strange remix that occurred as a result of being converted into an mp3 file and then broadcast from a minidisc or some other modern technological gubbins beyond my comprehension. Cooper was the lad who adopted me into his gang when I was 13 at school; he taught me to respect myself, to believe in my abilities and to apply my brain to the discipline of self education and body to the rigours of unarmed combat lessons (which usually simply meant he battered me every Saturday). If I had not met him, if he had never bothered to take an interest in me then it is absolutely no exaggeration to state that I would never have become a writer or a musician and nobody would read my books or listen to my music. I owe him virtually everything and it is beyond my ability to repay him for what he did for me. This instrumental is my musical depiction of his character. That said, he deserves a superior work to this 1970s rifferama but then his favourite bands were The Stranglers and Judas Priest so I’m allowed to be somewhat insulting, aren’t I? 6/10
 - UNIT - Shells & Stars
In December 2012 we performed a live session for Resonance and we were absolutely abysmal. It ranks as the very worst live performance we have ever given. A group of teenage grime rappers were meant to perform with us but we were asked to play earlier than planned and they were slightly late so the collaboration was postponed. After they arrived, they recorded 3 numbers with us for use on their own programme called Sick Notes. To date, I’ve not been able to obtain the other 2 tracks. Evan Scherer plays the bass guitar on this because Fritz wasn’t able to leave Germany in time for the performance. This is the weakest of the trio of tracks we recorded with the lads (in my opinion) but at least it displays our ability (limited by unfamiliarity with the genre involved) to engage with an idiom previously unexplored by the group. I retained the Resonance jingle at the end because I like it. 4/10
 - UNIT - Friends
We recorded an account of this way back in 2010 for the album Facta Non Verba but it was a bit of a mess so we revisited the ballad to see if we could improve it. Well, yes, we did although the tempo is a little too fast. That said, I am justifiably proud of this piece with its memorable melody, adventurous harmonic progressions and crisp playing. My singing is a little ragged (no change there then) but I found this almost impossible to sing without crying. I find this almost unbearable to hear now, primarily because the lyric is agonisingly honest. 9/10
Postscript: when I went to the studio in October to record a few more tracks with Fritz and Colin for the next album, I looked at the collection of godspunk albums Fred Baggs (the engineer and owner of Redchurch Studio where we record nearly all our works) keeps on his shelf and as I looked through them all I realised just how many different groups and individuals have appeared on these collections since 2005. I definitely mourn the absence of LDB and the taurus board from the discs. However, their departure has been compensated by new arrivals of equal (if rather different) content and quality. The later editions seem to veer slightly away from the more aggressively avant garde soundscapes I tended to enjoy so perhaps our next contributions will venture into that territory for the next edition . . . then again maybe I’ll just write another brace of miserable depressing pop songs and Hammond organ driven instrumentals in 7/4 time et cetera. However, look at what these compilations do: they serve as an excellent advertisement for truly independent pop music and alternative sonic creativity in a nation drenched in corporate mediocrity. For this reason alone, anyone who hasn’t purchased any volumes of godspunk yet should surely do so.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), February 2013
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Sanitised
BUGGERY BOLLOCKS but this is so groovy, so superbly performed and so deftly produced that I know it’s going to make our track sound messy and miserably mediocre by comparison. Crystal clarity in the production, dexterous finesse in the playing, a funky break-beat rhythm, a memorable tune and an extremely clever lyric make this beyond all possible doubt the very best track HitT have ever done - it is utterly brilliant. So much for that tedious old maxim that claims a pop group generally exhaust all their best ideas within the first 3 years of their career. I also enjoy the topical Jimmy Savile reference! 10/10.
 - UNIT - Martin’s Gone
In the same key as Sanitised which helps - possibly. See? Although this track sparkles, it’s still murky compared with the pristine production of the previous track which glitters whereas this just glares. God knows who Sector 27 were but Luc Tran found this single in a junk shop and played it to me. It had a picture of a teenage boy in brief shorts on the front so he thought I’d be interested in it - bah, sod that - but, without realising it, he provided me with ammunition for a lyric directed at what he and Richard would do to me barely 3 months later. I could have written new music but it seemed appropriate to cover the song fairly faithfully since we were technically able to do so. I’ve not altered any of the words except for the names although the song title is actually called Martin’s Gone. 7/10.
 - John Tree - Samba Savarah Ft Veronneau
Hello, it’s Xavier Cougat without his orchestra together with an arrangement by Edmundo Ross of a traditional Brazilian folk song - or else it’s Mr Tree proving once again that he’s a master of pastiche while still able to present music that bears a highly distinctive voice of its own. Yes, I do enjoy this - it’s Latin exotica gone wrong in all the right ways. 7/10.
 - UNIT - Male Slag
Well, it’s certainly a contrast to Mr Tree but that’s not necessarily a compliment. Decent lyric, shame about the music. Why ever did we record this hoary old tosh? At least we used a Hammond organ and no guitars which is probably its only saving grace other than clarity of the production and decent performance. 5/10.
 - Datas’ Cat - Squid Bullets
Ah - a flute - any track that uses a flute (or indeed any woodwind instrument) is liable to receive commendation from me. Although this has an excellent break beat, it desperately cries out for a bass guitar and a chord change or two. The combination of marimba and wah wah guitar shouldn’t work - but they do. Oh, right, so there is a bass guitar after all - now that’s more like it. Aye, this is pretty damned fine or at least it promises to be so. The sudden interruption of a flamenco style guitar is groovy even though I don’t like guitars. Mind you, ultimately I still find myself waiting for the main event to happen even when it goes all heavy metal and Rammstein on us. It’s a fairly groovy instrumental all the same - I’d just like a little something extra . . .God knows what. 7/10.
 - Nil By Nose - These Sounds
Christ, this is irritating - or is it? Let’s listen to it again. No, I was right the first time - it IS irritating but I’m not certain why. Perhaps it’s because the track sounds like an introduction to a piece that never appears. That’s how it sounds to me at least but then I’ve been listening to classical music for the past 5 months so what the hell do I know about anything? The production is superb, clear and precise. 4/10.
 - UNIT - Subhuman Debris
Look, we recorded this because it was requested by a pal of ours but honestly, this sounds so woefully old fashioned and outdated now. The lyric is trite and the music is simply silly. Why waste time playing punk rock when there are punk bands who do this kind of crap all day and probably better than we do? 3/10.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - A Short Unprepared Speech
Oh right, here we go - Death In June meets Hawkwind. I reckon HitT are the only outfit who are even more bonkers than we are. A creepy taped voice doesn’t help proceedings either. Ugh. 3/10.
 - Dimm D3ciple - The Wiring
Well, this is bloody boring as well - a crisply smooth, slow drum beat that needs a decent musical companion but all it receives is some grotty synthesiser and a tape of Stephen Hawking wittering over the top. I have always maintained that Hawking is an arse-hole and this gives me no reason to alter my opinion. I reckon I’m just peeved because normally this bunch provide tracks I tend to enjoy - but this time unfortunately. 3/10.
 - UNIT - Why Russians Rarely Smile
One of my cleverest lyrics - the facts about Russian are all correct, by the way - set to ridiculously 1980s music that should have been cremated and promptly forgotten. Instead we go into a studio in 2012 and record it. I have managed to subvert the original arrangement and remove most of the punk elements but it isn’t convincing. My feeble vocal doesn’t help either. 4/10.
 - XxiiJ - Loss
Top marks for the most enigmatic name for a band / artist ever. This reminds me very strongly of Dome (the outfit created by Graham and Lewis of Wire) combined with Five Or Six plus an element of Throbbing Gristle during one of their more restrained moments - yet it doesn’t sound 1980s - on the contrary it brings industrial music firmly into the 21st century - but do we want industrial music in the 21st century? Yes, when it’s like this. The entrance of the piano is highly disturbing. Minor caveat: once the rhythmic pulse commences - staying in the same key for far too long - some of the dramatic impact is diminished but this is still highly effective . . . until the final 40 seconds or so when we a curiously contrived cut-up reggae music intervenes and ruins the atmosphere! That said, this is still one of the most exciting contributions to godspunk in quite a while. 8/10.
 - UNIT - For Nick Wong
Now this is 1 of 3 tracks written by Evan Scherer, our American guest so perhaps I shouldn’t be too unkind and, after all, it was my idea for us to record his pieces. The trouble is, we are not a punk band - as you can hear. 4/10.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Dereks’ Briefcase
This is so Nurse With Wound it’s almost surreal. A curiously contrived collage of words, taped speech from various sources plus occasional musical interludes - more flamenco guitar - comprise a piece that is occasionally irritating, often inspired but never boring. A lot of work and effort has gone into this. 6/10.
 - Nil By Nose - Take It Easy Guys
I can’t comprehend what this outfit are trying to do - well, maybe I’m too concerned with musical structures and a recognisable idiomatic language to appreciate these whimsical interlude (which may not be intended as a whimsical interlude at all, of course) but indistinct sampled voices and synthesiser sounds rarely impress me. 2/10.
 - UNIT - Vita Odiosa
So, after being viciously unkind about Nil By Nose, we ought to provide music that justifies such dismissal of somebody elses’ work - you know, I can be rude about other peoples’ tracks because here’s what WE can do. The trouble is, this sounds like an experiment which failed - probably because it’s an experiment which failed. 3/10.
 - Datas’ Cat - Pipe, Slippers & A Basket Of Flute
What a superb title! I find this a little repetitive at first but then the flute enters and I can forgive almost any impertinence. I’d love to do some recording with the chap who plays the flute on this - since UJ left UNIT I do miss his flute playing but this is a more jazz inflected style that I find extremely satisfying. Once the bass guitar and drums kick in properly, this piece really rocks but in a strangely funk influenced manner - Ian Anderson goes to Stax. 8/10. Just a moment, let’s hear this track all over again. No, it’s much better than that. 10/10.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - The Fishman
Oh come on, Stan, get it together, pal, what are you playing at? You’ve gone all folk on our arses and I’m not impressed. This does reveal one aspect: anyone who tries to predict what HitT will do next is on a hiding to nothing. The production is clear and precise but I’ve never liked acoustic guitars. This is compensated by the inclusion of childrens’ voices now and then. When I hear this I think of Ringo Starr which probably isn’t too healthy either. 5/10.
 - UNIT - Nimbis Tonantibus
All these Latin titles are by Evan, incidentally - he speaks fluent Latin and Greek, you see. Well he’s an archaeology student, after all. So it’s a pity what I’ve done to his music isn’t as effective as I intended it to be. No, I’ve certainly not done him any favours on these tracks. Sorry, Evan. 3/10.
 - The Large Veiny Members - Sans Moi
Drum machine + synthesiser bleeps + vocal en Francaise = unavoidable comparison with Métal Urbain. If the music itself was more interesting, i.e. it didn’t stay in the same wretched key all the way through, I could begin to enjoy this far more than is actually the case. That said, it is highly memorable and it does possess a kind of relentless aggression I find appealing. 6/10.
 - UNIT - BBC Bastards
Isn’t it rather churlish to write a track called British Born Chinese Bastards which is obviously directed at Luc and Richard and then place it in a public forum? Yes it is. Do I care? Not at all. Does that mean I’m a nasty little cunt? Yes it does. Do I care? Not at all. Is this music a profoundly failed attempt to turn hardcore punk rock into something more interesting? Yes it is. Do I care? Well, er, yes actually - because godspunk compilations merit better tracks than this. 4/10.
 - The Flesheaters - Let’s Eat Rotting Flesh
Why do I find sampled voices so annoying? I don’t know - but I do. However, the other components of this strangely unpleasant track are rather enjoyable in a 1960s Mondo soundtrack manner. There’s more beefy (groan) power here than is to be found in our previous 5 tracks - a lesson to be learned maybe. Complaint: if you’re going to include a vocal then turn it up so we can hear it properly! This needs a Hammond organ. 7/10.
 - UNIT - Conspiracy
My only vaguely successful attempt at hardcore punk rock which I wrote for Pete Williams shortly after the Earths’ crust cooled. We recorded this because we were asked to do so. It’s okay I suppose but it sounds so old fashioned and out dated now. 5/10.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - The Nightmare Of Childhood
I can definitely relate to the title of this piece. The metal percussion is effective but that sampled voice can bugger off for a start. What a miserable old cow! Okay so she’s right but I demand the luxury of being able to live in my deluded fantasy in which I retain the youthful ability to rock and roll until I die, thanks. 4/10.
 - Stevan Barnes - F You
If XxiiJ provides the most enigmatic name for a person or group on godspunk then Stevan Barnes provides the most prosaic. What we have here is an example of musical minimalism that serves to exaggerate the vicious brutality of the lyric - harmony backing vocals, a sneering lead vocal (that ought to be a little louder) over the most basic percussion of bass drum and tambourine doesn’t sound as if it promises much but actually this has more power and intensity than any of our feeble attempts at raucous noise. 8/10.
 - UNIT - Go Ahead
Colin Murrell and Fabian Fritze each possess virtually the entire recorded works of Wire. Even I possess all the studio works from 1977 to 2002 and many of the live tracks - so maybe it was only a matter of time before we recorded a cover of one of their works. This was originally the ‘b’ side of Map Ref 41°N 93°W but I’ve wanted to record a rendition of this for many years and finally I was able to do so, with assistance from my pals and Evan taking the part of the record company executive. This is one of our better efforts although it’s a pity the piece continually speeds up all the way through. The viola playing is a little rough but it makes a pleasant change from tedious old electric guitars at least. 7/10.
 - Nil By Nose - Balloc
Easily their best contribution on here as far as I’m concerned. This is deeply disturbing and reminds me of Ampnoise by Dome - a grumbling, malevolent, nightmare noise that has all the best elements of a science fiction soundtrack minus the histrionics associated with the genre - actually, this is so good I’m going to play it again. Yes, I was right to do so. 9/10.
 - UNIT - A Song For Eric Cooper
Yes, all right, I KNOW there are 5 verses included in the CD booklet but only 4 are sung on this version, well, that’s because this was an early rendition of it - I considered it complete at the time but on subsequent plays I realised it required a central verse to add strength to the lyric. We recorded it again and included it on our album, The Workshop. However, this version is too good to go to waste so we submitted it here. Anyway, this is easily the best UNIT track on the collection and it is only marginally spoiled by my weak, feeble voice. I wish I had one of those powerful, full bodied voices that sound good when recorded - but I don’t. I sound like a homosexual crow with influenza. Buggery bollocks. 9/10.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - The Fishman In Dereks’ Briefcase
Remember ‘Hometime’ by Throbbing Gristle? That’s what this reminds me of - only this is far more interesting. The conversation between Stan and that child is utterly superb. The very subtle, minimal accompaniment (primarily disjointed sounds) provides the most appropriate context for the almost painful innocence of the conversation. The piece is apparently only 2 minutes long but it’s followed by a long tribute to John Cage - I cheated and moved the cursor forward because I know what silence sounds like - then we have some Yankee chap telling us how much he loves godspunk volume eleven - quite right too. 8/10.
These are the best 7 tracks on the compilation in my biased and thoroughly unreliable opinion:
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Sanitised 
 - XxiiJ - Loss 
 - Datas’ Cat - Pipe, Slippers & A Basket Of Flute 
 - Stevan Barnes - F You 
 - Nil By Nose - Balloc 
 - UNIT - A Song For Eric Cooper 
 - Howl In The Typewriter - The Fishman In Dereks’ Briefcase 
If I had to pick just 3 from that set - it’d be Sanitised, A Basket Of Flute and Balloc - so there. Meanwhile, what’s the significance of the warning ‘they’re coming to get you, Barbara’ hidden on the inner spine of the tray card?

 - Review by John Tree, February 2013
Right, well I've decided to put pen to paper . . . or to be more exact, finger to keyboard, write a review of godspunk volume twelve. This review has been re-written six times, I keep listening to the tunes and reassessing them each time. I've taken a leaf out of UNIT's book, going to rate each contribution. Each score is a combination of subjective reaction moderated by how close I think they got to their objectives.
The godspunk series is a collaborative effort, each contributor paying towards the CDs manufacture, getting a full page in the booklet, and receiving a number of copies back. It's a bit of an open-door policy so it is strong on community, perhaps patchier on quality control, but it is a great vehicle for people nonetheless. It could be argued that in these days of online self-publishing it is becoming less important to have physical product out there, but it still feels more real when on a proper CD . . . vinyl more so.
There is such a dizzying array of styles on these comps, there is always something for everyone to both love, hate, and be indifferent about . . . although there does seem to be a lot of ambient noise stuff this time round. The main challenge is adjusting your viewpoint to embrace such different approaches on the one album. Not an easy thing to do. Anyone who feels misunderstood, feel free to put the record straight!
Firstly, it's good to see the comp creator and major contributor pStan Batcow has found another Blackpool-based clown for the cover, and my own particular macabre favourite from the Pleasure Beach.
HOWL IN THE TYPEWRITER
I've known and worked with pStan for over a decade now. I have much respect for him, but still have no idea where he is coming from musically, but I can usually spot his style instantly. This is a compliment.
 - Sanitised ****
Blimey, he's gone pop. I do like the silliness of this, ebullient, uplifting, but he can't resist peppering it with punk sensibilities in the lyrics. 'I know how to appreciate a fine sunrise / and how to put a bullet right between your eyes'. Hmmmm. It's a densely packed tune with many twists, turns, and surprises. Absurd, silly, intricately constructed, and quite fun.
 - A Short Unprepared Speech ***
An exercise in noise. Slightly dissonant synth washes, obtuse plodding percussion, claustrophobic atmospheres. Sinister spoken word. huh? Hnnnnng very Howl
 - Derek's Briefcase ***
More Howlisms here, and touches of Negativland. A collage of apparently unrelated sounds. Voice sound bytes looped. Spoken phrases pasted cheek by jowl. Bits of fractured acoustic guitar. Reverse loops. Stereo pans. Shades of White Album Number 9. Do I like it? Biting my face off.
 - The Fishman ****
A song. Acoustic guitar, animal skin percussion. Another dose of surrealism in the lyrics. Kids brighten up the proceedings. I AM THE FISHMAN! Memorable.
 - The Nightmare of Childhood ***
Blimey, where to start here? Squelchy synth and junk percussion. A sardonic ode to turning old. Gulp, nearly there! Sign me up for euthanasia.
 - The Fishman in Derek's Briefcase **
Kid talk. Cut and paste stuff from before. Amusing for the live interactions but will it stand repeat listens?
UNIT
UNIT have been major contributors to godspunk from very early on. In many ways, their approach is so far over the other end of the spectrum from myself that I personally find them difficult to access. Their sound is initially awkward and jarring, but they have an endearing quality somehow, like a post-punk Bonzo's. I guess it's something to do with being honest. There is something very 'in your face' about UNIT, hard to ignore. They talk of many changes in the band, but it's probably to Andy Martin's credit that they still sound very much the same . . . although the drums seem to have tightened up considerably, which I personally find a big plus.
 - Martin's Gone ***
Tuned percussion, punk drums, growling bass. Very quirky post-punk but with a traditional construction, verse/chorus/verse etc. . . . but it seems to me the lyrics are main purpose to their tunes, which in this case, seems to be all about the changes in the band.
 - Male Slag ***1/2
As I said, the main purpose to these tunes seems to be about the meaning.
 - Subhuman Debris **
Sore Throat territory. Revenge tune on an enemy. I'm not keen on this, but that ain't the point.
 - Why Russians Rarely Smile **
Silly xenophobic lyrics. Fuzzed guitars, galloping tempo, chaotic morse code.
 - For Nick Wong **1/2
Similar instrumentation and feel to previous tune Why Russians Rarely Smile, but with the benefit of no lyrics.
 - Vita Odiosa **
More post punk scratchings. Mine's a pint.
 - Nimbis Tonantibus **
More post punk scratchings. Another pint please.
 - BBC Bastards ***
Is that really Tony Iommi on guitar? Blimey, I'm impressed . . . add a star, in spite of the fact that I could quite happily live the rest of my life never having to sit through another guitar solo.
 - Conspiracy ***
More grungy songs of bitterness and revenge. Grunge, screech. Add a star for the excellent line 'well I prefer mathematics to sex any day, baby'.
 - Go Ahead ***
A blunt attack on the music biz. Kind of hits the target.
 - A Song For Eric Cooper ****
A touching ode to a school friend. Again, I was more impressed with this once I realised the confessional nature of the lyrics.
JOHN TREE
 - Samba Savarah ft Veronneau (John Tree's Full Brazilian Remix) ****
I had a mess with the stem tracks from this tune from the second album of US bossa/jazz band Veronneau. Wanted to see if I could transform a bossa nova, which was basically an acoustic guitar led song to something more attuned to samba, which is closer to home for me. Quite pleased with the result although others, including the target audience for this CD, may find it bland.
DATA'S CAT
Another regular contributor to godspunk under various aliases, he usually hits the mark for me.
 - Squid Bullets ****
This has a really good feel, can't quite work out if it's samples mixed with live playing, but it's right up my street. It's a style butterfly that flits from a funky lick, bringing in tuned percussion before changing to a flamencoish section, before entering Grunge St. Disorienting.
 - Pipe, Slippers, and a Basket of Flute ****
Still life parody for the title. Nice and funky . . . percussive scraped guitar, piano stabs, and taut gritty flute leads into darabouka and breathy melody line. Groovy!
NIL BY NOSE
Dull Bedsit Blogger's alter ego has had varied output, always interesting in a sparky, intelligent, occasionally sarcastic kinda way. Here, his output turns its back on amusingly edgy tunes for the murky realm of ambient noise. YouTube parody graphic is cool.
 - These Sounds****
Takes a leaf out of Howl in the Typewriter's book from the previous godspunk volume eleven, and samples the redneck YouTube blogger 'Wakey420' to reflect back at him in abstract form. Added a star for this nice concept.
 - Take it Easy Guys Oomba Goomba**
Short dreamy atmospheric ping pong non-event.
 - Balloc (Remixed by 1001101000)**1/2
Longer dreamy atmospheric ping pong semi-event.
LARGE VEINY MEMBERS
 - Sans Moi ***
Nil By Nose's other hat. Droning backing of synths and drums squelchy synth overlays . . . and a frenchman talking . . . about? If I could understand the words I might not say it overstayed it's five and a half minute duration, as it stands, the sound of his voice begins to annoy after a bit.
DIMM D3CIPLE
DD is now a familiar contributor to godspunk, and to his credit, his varied output is never predictable.
 - Fear Nothing **1/2
Keyboard sounds have promise, but needs more treatment to escape the slightly plodding clinical feel. Interesting text-to-speech Steven Hawking style shaman monologue adds metaphysical interest. Judging from his previous contributions, could have been better, but a laudable stab.
XxiiJ
 - Loss ****1/2
Wow, where do I start here? This one caught me completely by surprise. Another dreamy noisescape, there do seem to be a fair few on this album, but this one has real beauty to these ears. Totally unhurried throughout it's unnervingly exact six minutes, a haunting backdrop with glitchy sounds in sharp relief. Muted and breathy monotonic flute [plumber's pipe?], rhythmic elements lumber in . . . bass, piano stabs . . . a real and tangible soundscape. Mournful and slightly menacing. I suspect this beautifully produced piece will withstand many listens. Nice graphic too.
THE FLESHEATERS
 - Let's Eat Rotting Flesh ***1/2
The drummer, Ging, I've known for some years. Don't think I know Wakey.
We are in Cramps territory for this ghoulish romp. Low-slung bass and Link Wray style guitar, trashy drums. Heavily processed vocals are hard to discern . . . very Lux Interior, but I like it.
STEVAN BARNES
 - F You ****1/2
Sparse percussion and harmonies form the backdrop for this claustrophobic, sexually charged vocal delivery. Creepy, yes, but that's exactly what it intends to be.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), 2012
More bloody clowns - I hate clowns! No, the real reason I’m irritated is because the taurus board are absent from this edition - YOU ROTTEN BASTARDS! Come on, own up, what’ve you done with them?
 - Laszlo Klemke - Le Treizieme
We’re in that basement cafe again somewhere in eastern Europe, circa 1965. Harmonica, guitar, bass and subtle percussion while we sip Pernod and swap military secrets under the table. Highly evocative stuff. 7/10
 - Data’s Cat - Game Over (Life On Venus)
What an absolutely SUPERB BASS GUITAR sound and what absolutely SUPERB BASS GUITAR PLAYING! This is what we’ve been trying to do in UNIT for about 3 years and these cats show us how it should be done. My God, I wasn’t prepared for this. The slight rave inflections combined with acoustic instrument interludes shouldn’t work but they do. I could do without that hippie 1960s lead guitar twiddly dee but perhaps I’m just being obnoxious? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time, would it? This piece contains stylistic elements from the 1960s, 1970s and 1990s (yes, well they can be forgiven for by-passing the 1980s after all) and is very clever indeed. I’m going to try hard to have this played on Resonance FM because it deserves wider recognition. 9/10
 - Dimm D3ciple - Boogie Monster
Jazz Funk Greats era Throbbing Gristle inflect this strange piece. The trouble is, unlike TG, this begins to irritate me really soon after it starts. It’s only a matter of musical preference - in fact this is a subtle hybrid of horrorshow soundtrack and humour whose emptiness and only occasional loud moments paint a sonic picture that does conjure up how a honey monster would look if you’d taken an industrial dose of LSD25. Hmm . . . 5/10
 - Spycore - Industrial Espionage
One of the customers from that eastern European cafe suddenly dashes for the door, perhaps to reach the 21st century before the CIA or KGB catch him. Er, at 11 seconds long, maybe it’s a little too brief? 7/10
 - Kunzysteem - Brighter Than Light
This is a track by Five Or Six that was lost in the archives - early 1980s feel to this and that’s not a criticism. The vocal sound is murky when it should be sharp and in your face, i.e. brighter than light, especially since it is sung very well indeed. The subtle keyboard / synthesiser warbling is sufficiently disciplined to prevent it being the sonic mess that can often result from such tomfoolery - here it works. Quietly mysterious and highly effective. 8/10
 - Englandz Glory - Burning Bright
It’s about time someone did the reggae routine - I thought it was going to be us but this bunch have beaten us to it. Personally I’d have that bass a little louder but my main criticism is the murky, indistinct sound of the vocal line. This is unfortunate because in every other respect this is a mighty fine track, mutant reggae that hurls an early 1980s sensibility into a 2000s era sound-world - sorry, that sounds rather NME pretentious pen pushing piffle but you know what I mean. 6/10
 - The Johnny Lieberbaum Pops Orchestra - Shameless Love
The Radio 2 track title and group name provide only a partial clue to the gentle (pleasantly naive) simplicity of this splendid track. It’s easy listening, certainly, but heard in the context of this collection, it is superb. It reminds me of Ronald Binge or the kind of music you might have heard while the test card was on the television (so of course most people reading this won’t be old enough to remember when television programmes never started until the early afternoon or have any idea what a test card actually is). There’s nothing pretentious about this - it quite shamelessly says ‘here’s a gentle, pleasant piece of music for you’ and if I failed to hear the secret, subliminal vocal underneath that urges us all to tear out the livers of prepubescent children while we invoke Satan then I do apologise. The artwork in the booklet is clever too. 8/10
 - The Glue Machine - Positive
My God, it’s 1981 again! I didn’t think people still recorded music like this. This is strongly reminiscent of Exhibit A or the superior examples of bedroom recorded cassette albums that people used to send to each other at that time. The recording quality is crisp and clear which means we can hear that delightfully cynical lyric. 6/10
 - The Earls Of Monte Cristo - Howling In The Canyon
I really don’t like music of this genre - which is a pity because it’s performed superbly. Actually this seems to me like a cattle ranching deep south of America Budweiser and Marlboro variant of the Laszlo Klemke experience. Why? I’ve no idea - maybe after reviewing 10 previous editions of these bizarre compilations, I’ve finally started to go bonkers. 4/10
 - The Large Veiny Members - Narwhal
Oh Christ, this is HORRIBLE! Bloody hell, it’s so IRRITATING! I do like the plaintively sung vocal but it should be much louder in the mix. Dear God, doesn’t this go ON and ON and ON? Squeaky synths burble away in fractured fragments way over there somewhere. This is why I have probably begun to go a bit bonkers, you see? 2/10
 - The Large Veiny Members - Yeti
So after they’ve trashed that poor narwhal, let’s see what they inflict upon a yeti. Well, this is a damned sight better than the previous track. I’d like that really deep synth line to be a little louder but this does come on like a pop song that someone has pulled to pieces before selecting a few scraps which they’ve reconstructed wrongly: in other words it’s quite interesting and enjoyable. 6/10
 - Nil By Nose - Douchebag
Look, will someone please tell me, what exactly IS a douchebag? On the other hand, no, perhaps I’d rather you didn’t - I’m still drinking my tea and only just finished my salad. Oh, right, I see what a douchebag is now thanks to that taped voice. This is really unpleasant, it simply oozes out of the speakers and drips all over your laptop. There’s a distinct Throbbing Gristle element to this which can only ever be regarded as a compliment coming from me of course. Very synthesiser driven but what’s wrong with that? Nothing! 7/10
 - Nil By Nose - So Long, Thanks For All The Masks
Cabaret Voltaire on mescaline - more American taped voices - very strange, rhythm machine and synth driven dance track that I find slightly tedious after a couple of minutes. Yes, it really does go on far too long for its content which is a pity because the actual track is decent enough. 5/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - 2012
What an oddly plangent start to the disc - acoustic guitar, gentle percussion and plaintive voices. I didn’t realise Howl in the Typewriter played music like this. There are at least 4 different musical elements here jigsawed together into a composite whole. This is definitely not my kind of music but the sheer energy and effort required to produce a five minute work that contains this many changes in this many styles on this many instruments must have been formidable. I’d prefer the vocals to have mixed a little louder since pStans’ lyrics are usually worth hearing. 5/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Cheeseburger Eating American
It is a really strange experience to hear my drum machine programme used on a track by a different outfit and in a totally different context. The music is fairly low-key and repetitive but this is fully justified because it enables you to concentrate your rapt attention on this fat greasy moron of a radio presenter who you just know genuinely believes Aerosmith and Bon Jovi represent the zenith of western pop music. He advises pStan to listen to The Beatles, John Lennon, The Rolling Stones, The Pink Floyd and The Kinks - er, excuse me, but didn’t something happen in music around 1976 sometime? Wasn’t there some sort of cultural revolution during the 1990s as well? I can understand why someone who likes the groups mentioned above would not enjoy most of the music on a godspunk disc BUT he then suggests it couldn’t have taken much time or effort to create and compile the disc. Not only is this deeply offensive to every contributor but it also reveals the crass ignorance of the speaker - you see (for example) I detest most country and western music but I accept that it requires a high level of musical ability and that it takes considerable time and effort to produce a top of the range C&W album. This chap is saying that because he doesn’t personally enjoy the kind of music on the disc that therefore it can’t have taken much time and effort to produce. How is it possible for such people to exist in a world that has discovered penicillin? 6/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Chewed By Badgers
Any track with BADGERS in the title is going to be awarded one point immediately. This is another jigsaw track only here its disparate elements are shoved up against each other whether they like it or not - usually they do not. This is a rave track designed to break the legs and fracture the ankles of everyone on the dancefloor. Mozart receives a right bashing, too, which is always a good sign. Just as this begins to become irritating it slams to a swift conclusion. It should be placed on a loop and played to that cheeseburger eating American ALL DAY EVERY DAY until he finally does the world a favour and DIES. 7/10
 - Howl In The Typewriter - When I Was A Little Boy
Drums - lots of drums - and then some - plus a Slade sample. Of course, the fact I recognise the sample shows what a severely sad bastard I am, doesn’t it? Oh I see now - various old songs sampled from the 1970s as sonic snapshots of childhood, all set to a drum machine. I’m not sure how much of this I can take - especially since I recognise far too many of them - Gary Glitter was always good fun of course - well, unless you were a little girl I suppose. This all reminds me why so much of the 1970s was sheer hell for people of my generation (I was born in 1966 in case you wonder). The section where Captain Pugwash, Monty Python and Tiger Feet by Suzi Quatro are all superimposed on each other is easily the most effective. The Sweet - yes and what a bunch of bastards they were as well. Creeps. Splink and Smash, yes I remember those adverts, too. Trumpton, Camberwick Green and The Magic Roundabout all appear, too - childrens’ programmes underneath Gary Glitter - naughty naughty! Oh God, bloody T Rex - Marc Bolan: the best thing that sod ever did was die. His greatest hit was a tree. 4/10
 - UNIT - Giving It Large
Yes, I was right to send this as a contribution. It fits the compilation superbly and provides a slice of pristine pop subverted by its ridiculous lyric. Now both Luc Tran and Richard Wong have left UNIT I shudder at the prospect of trying to maintain the high musical standards they set, especially with my feeble technical ability. The only problem with this piece is that my singing isn’t as good as the musicians who accompany it. If this was sung by a man or woman with a really clear, smooth yet powerful voice, it’d be brilliant - but it isn’t so it’s not. 8/10
 - UNIT - The East Is Red
What a superb (but far too short) rendition of this Maoist tune! As you can tell, I had nothing to do with this which is presumably why it sounds so grand. The bass guitar sound is slightly odd but that caveat aside, I still find this highly enjoyable. 8/10
 - UNIT - The Chinese Boy
I know what the original pieces of music sound like so to hear what Luc has done is slightly bizarre. It is effective since he’s managed to include a couple of studio sound-checks not intended to be kept. It features the work of new member Fabian Fritze most effectively as well. The trouble is, now Luc and Richard have gone, I find this piece with the youthful vitality of those Chinese melodies almost unbearably sad. The playing is a little ragged here and there but again, I had nothing to do with this - it would no doubt have been worse had I been involved! 7/10
 - UNIT - The Sword Of Erin
This is preposterous and yet I really like it - Luc on no less than 7 overdubbed vibraphones. Daft I call it. Again, I struggle even to listen to this - I’ve known Luc since 2003, he’s been on every album since Rock In Opposition Phase 1 (2005) and this is one of the last pieces he recorded for us. Obviously other listeners will be able to enjoy this work (hopefully) as he intended it to be heard. 9/10
 - UNIT - My Parents . . .
I realise that in the booklet Richard Wong forgot to credit the chap who played the viola - namely himself! He omitted to mention that Luc plays a Casio VL Tone toward the end, too. Such a magnificent slab of 1980s technology must never be forgotten! I also realise why I rarely play guitar on our records - because I’m so woefully inept. No wonder UJ suggested the prodigious use of flange and delay pedals to disguise my technical limitations. As for the content - sorry, there’s nothing I can say about it. If the vocal sounds ragged, well, for once I have an excuse: it took seven attempts before I could complete one without breaking down in tears. To follow this harrowing account with When I Was A Little Boy was a nice touch. That said, I suspect godspunk is perhaps not the place for such a deeply personal number as this - then again, maybe it is. 7/10
Summary - for the first time since (I can’t remember) there isn’t an all out mind blowing pure pop anthem by Howl In The Typewriter and the absence of the taurus board doesn’t assist matters either. However, the almost continuously high quality in both musical ability and production from every contributor marks this as another largely successful venture into the realms of independent music with which Pumf is associated.

 - Review by Wong Yit Sinh & Andy Martin (UNIT) 2011
Okay then - me (that’s Richard Wong) & Andy Martin sat here, Saturday afternoon, 2nd July, to review godspunk volume ten. UJ never reviews these things coz he reckons he’d be too rude about the stuff and Luc hasn’t spoken to Andy since December last year so who knows what’s going on? I reckon it’s coz Andy started to collect the complete recorded works of The Lemon Kittens in January and now I’ve heard nearly all of it as well, I reckon Luc has a bloody good reason to feel murderous. Is that really what people used to listen to in the 1980s? Anyway, here goes . . .
 - Howl In The Typewriter - TMI
Wong: They always start these things with a pop song, don’t they?
Martin: Another potential pop song subverted into fragments of spite - the spoken vocals are a little quiet in the mix - mind you, if you reckon this is a pop song then your mind really has been frazzled and bamboozled by being in UNIT.
Wong: No, but it is a pop song - a pop song that’s been put through a mangle and then someone’s tried to iron it into shape again only they’ve spilt acid on parts of it and it’s all gone a bit wonky.
Martin: Only Howl In The Typewriter could generate words like ‘bamboozled’ and ‘wonky’ from us. I like those plaintive cries of ‘T M I’ every now and then.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Lurking
Wong: Here we go again - he likes all those funny noises, doesn’t he?
Martin: Interesting rhythms though - what metre is that in?
Wong: Probably a gas meter. It’s a bit over the top for me - the lyric’s bare sarcastic though.
Martin: You think so? I thought it was about those occasions when you look into a clear blue sky and you can see squiggly lines in front of you because a hair or speck of dust has attached itself to your eyeball.
Wong: He’s playing on Luc’s organ near the end.
Martin: I think there are plenty of people who’d like to play on Luc’s organ and not only at the end, either.
Wong: You’re a sick brother, man.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Frederick
Wong: It’s that guitar sound again so you know who it is - that vocal sound’s strictly from ELO.
Martin: Jesus, you’ve heard of ELO?
Wong: Yeah man, all big hair, flares and cellos, terrible band. This is a bit better than ELO though.
Martin: Only a bit better?
Wong: Yeah, well, that vocal effect is f****** terrible.
Martin: Actually, yes, it is now I come to think of it. That’s a shame because the musical accompaniment is excellent - mutated funk turned inside out. Yes, a less electronically treated vocal would be an improvement.
Wong: The drum sample and low synth are groovy, though.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - The Stolen Carrot
Wong: What? Stan being happy? I don’t believe it.
Martin: Don’t worry - he’ll start ranting in a rage any second now.
Wong: This music is excellent - not by itself but under this lyric it works perfectly - it really makes you pay attention to the words.
Martin: He’s just said he wants to paint himself blue.
Wong: Yeah, I know the feeling, we’ve all been there. I usually go for a shade of turquoise myself. But seriously, this might just be a contender for best track so far. As he’s speaking you’re there with him, you’re in the scene.
Martin: Yes, a remarkable track; it’s certainly up there with b600.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Hello
Wong: Hello, it’s Phil Collins . . . or maybe Robbie Williams . . . one of those c**** anyway.
Martin: What a superb ending! Just when I’m about to scream with indignation, Stan saves the day.
Wong: S*** man, let’s play this again, it’s really funny.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Put It On Top Of The Settee
Wong: Christ, this is dreadful.
Martin: For once we agree - oh Stan, what have you done?
Wong: He’s completely lost the plot - this is boring, man, it just goes on and on with lots of silly voices and stuff.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Sciatica Blues
Martin: He’s used a vibraphone or at least a vibraphone sample.
Wong: Those vocals need more treble, more edge to them, they’re too muddy.
Martin: Well spotted - let’s turn up the treble on these speakers - there! That’s better.
Wong: So what? Shoulda been recorded properly in the first place.
Martin: Coming from a member of UNIT that’s somewhat ironic - the words ‘kettle’, ‘pot’ and ‘black’ come unbidden to mind.
Wong: Yeah, true, but normally Stan produces his stuff really well. Hold on, it’s only 4’ 26” long; then silence . . . what’s going on. Bet there’s something else near the end of the track.
Martin: So are we going to sit here like a couple of c**** waiting for it?
Wong: May as well. Pass us that lighter - time for another fag and a cuppa.
Martin: Why don’t you just skip forward?
Wong: Nah man - that’s cheating. Oh here we go - synths and keyboard stuff with some old bastard nattering over the top.
Martin: Stan likes his backing tapes - some of the text sounds quite intriguing but I’m not able to discern what he’s saying. Something about the working classes is it?
Wong: I’m not sure, it’s all too muffled - actually this’d be better without that silly voice.
Martin: Yes, especially since it’s so badly recorded you can’t tell what he’s saying anyway.
 - Nil By Nose - Explosive No.1
Wong: What on Earth is going wrong here? Daft, I call it.
Martin: Well, it does display an unusual use of how to record voices - they sound almost inhuman - actually this is quite effective.
Wong: No, man, it’s daft.
Martin: Oh all right then, it’s daft - but I like it anyway.
 - Nil By Nose - Dragon Ninja
Wong: Another great lyric - this is really funny! It shoulda been called Pity The Poor Ninja or something like that.
Martin: The music isn’t up to much.
Wong: Well, maybe not but it has a kinda sad, sentimental, Cantopop feel to it that really suits those words. You’re in a mood today, aintcha?
Martin: I’m mourning the absence of the taurus board.
Wong: Yeah but be fair, you can’t take it out on all the other bands on here. The only track you’ve been kind about so far is b600.
Martin: Quite right too. Everyone else ought to shape up or ship out. We need some discipline here!
Wong: Okay, well, there haven’t been many out and out pop songs yet, true, but there’s not been a single track that I hate or find unlistenable so far.
Martin: Actually, yes, that’s a good point. The overall quality of the contributions so far has been fairly good, apart from a couple of amateur moments in our tracks.
 - Nil By Nose - Explosive No.2
Wong: I prefer this to the first explosion. There’s more going on here, more interesting stuff happening.
Martin: It’d be a lot better without that infernal drum machine.
Wong: You reckon? No, it’d sound incomplete without that. It’s a bit mechanical, a bit like music made by machines but I still quite like it.
 - The Melodramatic Monkey - Pissing In The Coffee
Wong: This is a bit of a mess, innit?
Martin: Sounds as if Stan has sneaked onto someone elses’ track again. He’s a bugger like that isn’t he? 1970s jazz funk as it would sound if performed by a group of cybermen. Anyone reading this who doesn’t know what cybermen are really shouldn’t be listening to godspunk discs, at least not without psychiatric supervision.
Wong: Oh right - I thought this was ‘Lurking’ - as soon as Stan appears on a track it sounds like Howl In The Typewriter anyway. Well, I suppose if he sang or rapped over a Lee Perry reggae dub or a hip hop instrumental by The Newham Generals then it wouldn’t.
 - Seven Footsteps To Satan - Crow Crested Cobra
Wong: This is just some geezer messing about on a guitar.
Martin: Well, why shouldn’t ‘some geezer’ - or some bird, for that matter - mess around on a guitar?
Wong: I knew you’d say something like that.
 - Seven Footsteps To Satan - Lava Surf
Wong: Oh right, well this is much more like it - kinda 1980s synthipop meets early 1960s guitar instrumental after Throbbing Gristle have been at it.
Martin: That’s a remarkably apposite description.
Wong: I’ll take your word for it. No but this is good, man, it’s sorta . . . dunno, like listening to 3 tracks at once that just happen to be in the same tempo and key. He (or she) likes that distorted fuzzy guitar - but it works though. Yeah, this one’s a winner. What d’you reckon?
Martin: I can take it or leave it - but I think I’ll leave it.
Wong: Ah, you’re such a sap, man.
 - tbd - b600
Wong: b600 - sounds like a type of analogue keyboard and tbd sounds like a disease you get treated in a clap clinic.
Martin: Well, you’ve evidently revealed your cultural starting points for all to witness.
Wong: Don’t worry I’m not knocking it - this is the best thing on here so far.
Martin: You mean, it’s even better than UNIT?
Wong: Yeah, at least it’s better than some of that crazy s*** you write. This kind of almost compensates for the absence of the taurus board on here.
Martin: The absence of . . . oh I see what you mean. Yes, it is a bit 1990s - but it has that curious amalgam of 1990s rave track mutated into a 21st century sound; but if you ask me why it manages to sound 21st century -
Wong: Why’s it manage to sound 21st century?
Martin: You had to do that, didn’t you? Well, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the use of broken rhythms or the keyboard sample sounds . . . but yes, it’s a barry track, I agree with you. In fact, yes, I think it is my favourite so far.
Wong: Look, here in the booklet - it’s from 2000, even older than that track by The Red Guards. It says here that our pal HeF is one of the people involved - no wonder it’s so good!
Martin: We really are stuck in the 1990s, you and I, aren’t we?
Wong: Yeah, we’ll have to learn to live with the 2010s soon!
 - John Tree - Moon Star Tail Lights
Wong: Here we go: a car engine and windscreen wipers - only I reckon it’s instruments made to sound like a car engine and windscreen wipers. Yeah, this is way cool, man.
Martin: It glitters, doesn’t it? It sparkles, as if from a distance - oh bollocks, they’ve added a drum machine and spoiled it all.
Wong: Yeah, I have to agree - when that beat box comes in the whole effect it ruined. He shoulda left that sound alone and gone with what he had already. Other than, this is pretty good stuff I reckon.
Martin: Yes, certainly in the top five or six.
 - The Red Guards - Mao Tse Tung
Wong: This is superb. It’s the best thing on here so far. Where the hell did Luc find this?
Martin: Well, he was briefly in contact with Kwan Siu Lung, who used to play guitar for UNIT back in the day. We’ve lost contact with him since then. This outfit apparently recorded 2 or 3 numbers before being sent to prison.
Wong: Why were they sent to prison? Was their hair too long or the wrong colour?
Martin: I’m not certain. Luc mentioned one e-mail about the group being attacked by audience members in 2000 or 2001, hatchets drawn at dawn etc. You have to be careful about political statements in China. It’s odd though, you’d think singing a song in praise of Chairman Mao was fairly safe territory.
Wong: Maybe to praise Mao Tse Tung in the 21st century is not a clever exercise, even in China. Well it’s still a superb song, bare hard. The use of a Chinese shawm and saxophone together especially and you can hear every word he sings. Pity the lyric is so, you know-
Martin: - embarrassing?
Wong: Yeah man, big up the red flags and follow you to the end of the world. S*** man, following Mao anywhere, that IS the end of the world, sheer disaster. How can a bunch of Chinese people my age support that crap? I knew communism was evil and stupid even when I was in junior school.
Martin: Yes but you were born in Malaysia where capitalism is virtually a religion and where there are literally people begging for food on streets lined by huge tower blocks where businessmen shift millions of pounds -
Wong: That’s Singapore, you dick.
Martin: Oh. Sorry.
 - The Shend - It’s Lovely Today!
Wong: I tell you what - this is definitely the best lyric on here so far. This is one of those lyrics that makes me smile and cheers me up.
Martin: I could do without that bloody megaphone effect through which he speaks. The music is already strange enough so it doesn’t require even further weirdness.
Wong: You mean like over-egging the pudding? Yeah, maybe, but I think it fits somehow. A normal vocal sound wouldn’t work either, I reckon - you have to have some kind of effect to make it sound like it belongs to the backing track. Anyway, 10/10 for that lyric.
 - Lazlo Klemke - The Danube Affair
Wong: Here we go, we’re in that Greek restaurant on Mare Street, eating kebabs and kerfuffle.
Martin: Kerfuffle? Don’t you mean cous-cous?
Wong: I don’t know, what’s that crap they serve up, looks like brown cement? Anyway, this is just bloody terrible, it’s boring Radio 2 stuff.
Martin: It’s played well enough though - there’s nothing wrong with the technical ability and the recording is really crisp and clear.
Wong: But it’s so . . . sounds like a film soundtrack but one that’s taken from a film I’d never want to watch.
Martin: You really don’t like this, do you?
Wong: Nah man, it’s really irritating. It’s too normal, too middle of the road. I don’t like plink plonk mandolins and stuff, sounds like an advert for ice cream.
 - Foxhole UK - Politics Of Punk
Wong: This really needs a bass guitar on it - as it is, it sounds too weak and top heavy. It sounds like a track they discovered on one of those horrible 1980s cassettes they used to have back then.
Martin: It’s wretched. Come back Lazlo Klemke, all is forgiven. This is the worst track on here by a mile.
Wong: Nah man, what’s the matter with you? It’s okay, it has power and passion - it just needs a bass guitar on it coz it sounds unfinished as it is. The vocal sound is a bit muffled, too, needs more top edge on it. But as a song it’s okay, it has potential.
Martin: Potential? It has the potential to appeal only to the homicidal side of my nature. It needs to be subjected to extreme verbal abuse, have its parentage called into question and then hurled into a furnace and destroyed forever.
Wong: You really don’t like punk rock, do you?
Martin: No I bloody don’t!
 - Dimm D3ciple - To The Beat Of The Drum
Wong: This follows Second Desert really well, too, cuz it has a kind of Arabic feel to it. It’s really subtle - it makes something out of nothing - see how that keyboard snakes around now and then in the background? I don’t normally go much on their stuff, at least not the tracks I heard on previous godspunks but this is bare hard, the best track I’ve heard by them.
Martin: It’s rather too repetitive for my tastes.
Wong: Yeah but it needs to be - this kind of music calls for it - this is really convincing, yeah, it’s up there with b600 and The Stolen Carrot as one of the best tracks on here.
Martin: I’m not convinced yet - click on ‘previous’ and let’s hear it again.
Wong: So? What do you reckon then?
Martin: Actually, yes, I see what you mean now. It does work - yes, I think I agree with you. I don’t quite share your unbridled enthusiasm but certainly I agree it’s one of the more memorable tracks on here.
Wong: Right then, well, there’s hope for you yet. See what happens when you stop listening to UJ’s Jethro Tull albums? You start to develop some musical taste!
 - Cyril Bagels & The Alpaca 5 - Dem Ol’ Llamas
Wong: Right - this starts brilliantly! Could be good . . . when something eventually happens.
Martin: But listen to that saxophone! This is James Brown for the 21st century.
Wong: Who?
Martin: No, come on, surely not - you mean you’ve never heard of James Brown?
Wong: No - look I’m 19 for crying out loud.
Martin: All right - he’s the godfather of soul. He’s The Man. Look him up on google after this. Anyway, this is probably one of the best tracks on here.
Wong: Yeah, it’s okay but the mix is all wonky.
Martin: Ah, you mean the bass up front and all the interesting stuff shoved way back in the distance?
Wong: Yeah, exactly. I wanna hear what’s happening.
Martin: It’s obviously deliberate since it’s so self evident but I agree with you, I’d like to hear that organ louder - I’d prefer this without those sampled voices, too.
Wong: I agree with you there - shoulda had more organ and more saxophone.
Martin: Richard, in my next life you may have my babies. We’re definitely in agreement on this. But is it up there with the top three?
Wong: No, not quite - top five though definitely.
Martin: Definitely.
 - UNIT - Universal Soldier
Martin: This is why UNIT needs a proper singer. The timing is all over the place.
Wong: Maybe you’d find it easier to sing in time if my f****** drumming was in time.
Martin: Perhaps - in any case, we should never have recorded this. I’m sick of UNIT being turned into a tribute band - all we do these days is works written by other bands.
Wong: Yeah but he’s done a good job on this arrangement - Luc played me the original and I much prefer our version.
Martin: Well, so would I if it had someone who could actually sing properly.
 - UNIT - Death To Rock & Roll
Wong: Hey, this sounds really good after b600.
Martin: That’s because you wrote it.
Wong: Don’t knock it - it’s a cracking good idea - it’s just a pity we weren’t able to pull it off effectively. We should have used more different instruments.
Martin: H’m . . . yes, that and someone who can actually sing. It’s a real shame because I love the idea, the concept - it’s so splendidly arrogant - you dismiss the whole 50 year history of pop music and insist that UNIT are the only way forward - real champion. It’s that kind of conceit that I find so entertaining about a lot of rap and grime. The trouble is, arrogance is only really effective if you have the technical ability to support it. To me, this track sounds . . . I don’t know . . .
Wong: It’s a bit budget in places, yeah. My drumming isn’t really up to some of the beats. Isn’t that you doing one of the crazy saxophones?
Martin: Yes, the lower pitched shabby one. UJ isn’t a saxophone player but he’s more of a saxophone player than I am, that’s for sure.
 - UNIT - Ming Hai
Wong: S*** man, I don’t remember this track being so good - it kicks serious a***.
Martin: Oh beyond doubt, it’s one of the best tracks we’ve ever recorded.
Wong: Well, yeah, you say ‘we’ but isn’t that Luc doing everything?
Martin: Almost - UJ is on bass guitar.
Wong: This embarrassing - he’s our keyboard player yet he’s a better drummer than me!
Martin: Yes, I sympathise. It’s rotten being the two crap musicians in UNIT, isn’t it?
Wong: Yeah and when I hear this I realise UJ and Luc could easily do UNIT by themselves if they didn’t want any vocal tracks.
Martin: I think that’s one of the other reasons I enjoy this track so much - it doesn’t have what Ben Watson refers to as my ‘abysmal vocals’ on it. The constant changes from 4/4 to 7/4, the fairly complex and unexpected harmonic turns-
Wong: So what’s Ming Hai again?
Martin: Richard, where have you been since 2005? It’s the name of his parents’ take-away in Sandringham Road.
Wong: Oh yeah! I forgot, totally lost it there for a moment. But why is this on here when it’s already been used on that Class War album?
Martin: He remixed it slightly and gave a deeper, bigger, wider sound. He also cleaned up the ending. I’m glad he and UJ elected to submit this track to godspunk volume ten anyway because it really is superb.
Wong: Probably coz we aren’t on it!
 - UNIT - Second Desert
Martin: This is an effective piece of programming by Stan - this track follows Lava Surf really well - but why did you choose this for inclusion, Richard?
Wong: Well, I definitely prefer your reading of this poem to Andy Nunn, the guy who wrote it. I know you, UJ and Luc all wanted his version to go on Facta Non Verba but the way he reads it is so dry and deadpan whereas your one has emotion, fear and nervousness in it - there’s a kind of . . . it sounds like you’re dreading something all the way through - there’s a real sense of horror there that’s missing in his version of it. I prefer the lack of instruments, too - just birds in the background, that’s all it needs.
Martin: To be honest, Andy Nunn’s poetry is often so visceral and with such visual imagery, that any music added to it seems superfluous.
 - UNIT - Nazi Scum
Wong: I reckon I agree with you about UNIT doing cover versions. This is like a jazz band trying to play punk rock. It’s only Luc on that Hammond organ that saves this from being budget.
Martin: UJ wanted us to do it in response to that dreadful attack on the Warzone Community Centre in Belfast by Nazi skinheads last year. The sentiments are superb -
Wong: - so we shoulda written our own anti-nazi anthem instead of dredging up this old thing. The bass guitar part’s good though.
Martin: Yes, UJ really has improved as a bass guitarist recently. But the whole sound is wrong - light jazz drums don’t work on this - which is a pity because you played this really well. 
Conclusion
Wong: Another varied collection then. You know, one of the best things about these albums is the artwork. Some of it is really staggering. Look at the back cover - that’s bare hard, man. There’s a sort of vicious humour that runs through a lot of this.
Martin: Yes, I know just what you mean - humour that bites. The only aspect I dislike and have always disliked is those horrible clowns. Otherwise I agree with you, visually these compilations are highly attractive. But as for the musical contributions, no, for me it suffers from the same property as the previous set - there need to be one or two out there avant garde tracks and there need to be two or three pristine pop songs to extend the sheer range of material on here.
Wong: Yeah, maybe you’re right. Wonder why most contributors never write much stuff but rely only on visuals?
Martin: I’m not sure - perhaps they believe words superfluous and that the music ought to speak for itself? Personally, I like all those comments Luc makes when he sends our tracks in. It’s as if he’s having a conversation with the recipients of the disc. Anyway, name your 3 favourite tracks!
Wong: Okay then - the best 3 tracks are b600 by tbd and To The Beat Of The Drum by Dimm D3ciple, while The Stolen Carrot by Howl In The Typewriter and Ming Hai by UNIT tie for 3rd place.
Martin: That’s cheating - you’ve chosen 4! 
Wong: There’s no way out, man, I had to do it.
Martin: Oh very well. For me the choice is both obvious and easy: b600 by tbd, The Stolen Carrot by Howl In The Typewriter and Ming Hai by UNIT.
Wong: So b600 by tbd, The Stolen Carrot by Howl In The Typewriter and Ming Hai by UNIT win the gold, silver and bronze medals! While we’re on colours - the next key colour for godspunk volume eleven should be green - maybe a lime green or yellowish green so it contrasts with godspunk volume six. Purple hasn’t been used yet either.
Martin: Yes, too many reds and oranges - keep it cool, keep it blue - and be rid of those bloody clowns.
Wong: No, you have to keep the clowns - they’re iconic now - as soon as you see those clowns, you know it’s another godspunk album.

 - Review by Luc Tran & Andy Martin (UNIT), 1st August 2010
Sunday August 1st 2010 - I (Luc Tran) went to UNIT HQ for a rehearsal and also to do the regular review of the latest installment in the godspunk franchise (with Andy Martin). I had to wait until the end of the Test Match between England and Pakistan (I still can’t understand what Andy sees in this ridiculous sport) - unfortunately Pakistan lost. To compensate, I discovered that godspunk volume nine is up there with the very best of the collections - it doesn’t quite match the glory of No.5 but it must rank among the top 3.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - The Edge Of The World
LT - This is a bit of mess, innit? Nice organ sound tho.
AM - The backing tapes - 
LT - You mean ‘samples’ - get with the century.
AM - As I was saying, the backing tapes are most inventive but the music is too fragmented, the changes lack logic - the result is too much like a sonic jigsaw.
LT - That dance-y bit later on is good tho. The lyrics are totally Rob Simone territory.
AM - You’d best explain that for people who aren’t familiar with him.
LT - Oh yeah, there’s still some people who haven’t heard of Resonance 104.4 FM.
AM - There are still some people, not there is still some people - plural clause.
LT - Oh shut your face. Anyway, Rob Simone presents a programme called Head Room every Monday evening on Resonance 104.4 FM. He’s been doing it since 2004 at least. Check out his website - www.robsimone.org - he interviews all these wild and wacky people like David Icke, Uri Geller and some American pensioner who spent 3 weeks living in an underground city on Venus. He also does shows that are highly critical of American foreign policy, too. Right, advert over. So what d’ya give this then? I reckon 7/10 coz it promises lots but, unusually for HITT, never quite hits the spot.
AM - Yes, 7/10 seems fair enough.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Whales
AM - If you’re so concerned about being ‘with the century’ then why don’t you ask Stan to change the name of the group to Howl In The Laptop?
LT - No, it doesn’t have the same romantic ring to it. Famous authors used typewriters - any old cunt can use a laptop.
AM - But I use a laptop.
LT - Exactly. Anyway, this is all a bit wishy-washy, innit? Maybe it needs more analogue keyboards on it rather than -
AM - Oh come on, Luc, get with the century.
LT - Shut up, man, you’re not qualified.
AM - Not qua l-
LT - You’ve been listening to Black Sabbath all week. Can you honestly say you’re qualified to give any opinion on anything now?
AM - Well, if you put it like that, no, I suppose not.
LT - So I’ll give this 8/10 - it’s catchy and grows on you.
AM - No, it’s too dreary - 6/10 at the most.
LT - You’re just a sad sap. Go back to your Ozzy Osbourne then.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Summer Baby
LT - The vocals are mixed way too low on this - makes the piece sound clumsy and unfinished. That bass guitar sound is groovy tho.
AM - Yes, that’s similar to the sound UJ has adopted for most of our recent material.
LT - This sounds sharper and clearer than our stuff.
AM - Yes, the production on Howl tracks is generally highly professional - but I agree with you about the low volume vocals. This really irritates me, actually, despite the nice bass guitar playing. I’ll give it 4/10.
LT - You keep doing that and he won’t let us be on godspunk volume ten. But I agree, it’s a bit of a platypus this piece - I’ll give it 6/10.
AM - A platypus?
LT - Yeah - sounds as if its made up from bits and pieces that don’t quite mix properly.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Ram Raiding
LT - What’s that French punk band from the 1970s that Achoi raved about?
AM - Oh yes, odd little bunch weren’t they? Mind you, so was Achoi. What the devil were they called? Paris Maquis - no, that was their single - Metal Urbain-
LT - That’s it, Metal Urbain - well, don’t you think this sounds like them? Imagine if Stan sung in French instead.
AM - Oh I see what you mean - yes, you’re quite right.
LT - I usually am these days. That’s coz I don’t listen to Black Sabbath.
AM - Look, be fair, I was under direct orders from UJ. There’s no need to be so ineffably otiose.
LT - So in-elephantine what? Oh hold on, the Whales have come back. You know, I can imagine this sung by Liam Gallagher.
AM - Liam Gallagher? You have to be . . . mind you though, now you mention it, yes, I see what you mean - my dear old thing, you really are on sparkling form tonight.
LT - That’s coz I haven’t had my IQ lowered by listening to Black Sabbath CDs. Anyway, what d’ya reckon? I’ll give this 8/10 coz its cool.
AM - No, not for me it isn’t. I’ll give it 5/10.
LT - Ozzy fan.
AM - Ha! That’s rich coming from someone who listens to punk rock.
 - Dimm D3ciple - The Dream
LT - They’re using my vibraphone! Right, they gain points for that straight away. Wish those vocals were clearer - I really don’t like that weird effect that’s on them. Mind you, when that dance beat comes in and it goes all 1990s on us, that’s really effective - oh bugger it, it’s over.
AM - Yes, it doesn’t hang about, does it? I’ll give it 4/10 and most of that’s for the vibraphone.
LT - No, they deserve more than that - 7/10 at least - it’s a nice, crisp sound and that dance bit in the middle kicks arse.
 - Dimm D3ciple - Stranded
LT - This is brilliant - punk rock lyric over Brian Eno music - this is really odd. I like it, especially those backward bits.
AM - There’s really no need for the swearing though.
LT - What? This coming from the man who wrote Employment Enjoyment.
AM - No, there was a reason for that - I attacked the gratuitous use of swearing by Channel 4 whereas this -
LT - This is an angry response to parts of our society, there’s a justification for it. Ah, there’s that rave-y type beat again - oh, it’s stopped now, just when I was enjoying it, too.
AM - Well, this doesn’t do it for me at all, musically anyway. The lyric is the best aspect of it. I’ll award it 3/10.
LT - Christ, you’ve really lost the plot. There, the beat’s returned and it grooves along nicely. It deserves 8/10 at least.
 - The Balkan'oliks - Tree Peva Kozol
LT - The bass guitar and the percussion are crisp and punchy - plus that’s a mighty fine strong vocal, too - this lot were good on the last godspunk as well, weren’t they?
AM - I think so but, to be honest, this piece suffers from being in the same bloody key all the way through. It needs more harmonic variety. The chap has a fine set of lungs though and the mix between vocals and instruments is excellent. I’ll give it 5/10.
LT - Only 5/10? No, it deserves more than that - I know the music’s a bit repetitive but it’s only 2 and a half minutes. No, I like this enough to give it 7/10.
 - The Balkan'oliks - dicky dicky dick boom
LT - Do you know, this sounds like - well, it has the same kinda feel as those reggae tracks Resonance plays every Wednesday night. Can you imagine this as a dub reggae thing?
AM - Yes, I see what you mean; it does possess that atmosphere. I tell you what, these people can certainly play - I mean, it’s rather simple but the music is crisp, clear and punchy as you said earlier. It’s a strong production but the music isn’t going anywhere is it?
LT - Well, where d’ya want it to go - Manchester?
AM - Oh come on, my little piranha fish, be reasonable. I mean, I’m waiting for something to happen but it never does. 4/10.
LT - But with that fiddle and everything, it makes the piece more interesting. No, it deserves more than that - 6/10 at least. I reckon this bunch could put together a really interesting album - maybe with a few more chords and different instruments used tho.
 - Lenin’s Virulent Muscle - Turf The Roads
LT - This is excellent! UJ would love this lyric. It’s really funny if you picture Vladimir Lenin singing it, too.
AM - Yes, full marks for the words . . . pity about the music. I’ll give it 4/10.
LT - But the music sort of growls quietly along in a controlled rage, it’s really effective, especially with the contrast between the high female and low male voices. This warrants 8/10.
 - Lenin’s Virulent Muscle - Spider Crabs
LT - Ooer - this is a bit drippy, innit?
AM - Acoustic guitar valium rock - it’s dreadful.
LT - Oh come on, be fair - the words are good and the playing’s nice and clear. At least he or she can play that acoustic guitar well.
AM - It’s still dreary to the point of being morbid - it’s horrible.
LT - Bah! May all your pies be filled with quorn for ever more!
AM - Fair enough - I’m a vegetarian anyway, have been since 1983.
LT - Really? I didn’t know that.
AM - You didn’t know I was a veg . . . how long have you known me? Since 2002, wasn’t it? 
LT - Well, what about the track then?
AM - Well it is, it’s horrible. I can’t stand this kind of stuff. 2/10 and that’s for the lyric.
LT - They don’t deserve to be dismissed so easily. Mind you, the music is a bit much after a while. I’ll give it 5/10.
 - The Death Of The Enlightenment Project - Iblis
LT - So what’s going on here then? Ansaphone message . . . someone eating crisps down a telephone line . . . oh shit, it’s one of those tracks, all grim and grisly noises - bloody hell, the speakers are rattling.
AM - Quite right too - if our speakers are to be destroyed then let them be destroyed by something exciting, something vibrant, something that kicks serious arse - so far this is the most impressive track yet.
LT - What? You have to be joking. It’s just a repetitive noise.
AM - Just a . . ? Look, this is the first really impressive track I’ve heard so far - it’s the first piece to display any passion or originality.
LT - That’s being really unfair to Dimm, Lenin, The Balkan'oliks and -
AM - I’m simply being honest. I know The Balkan'oliks have a distinct sound of their own, granted, but their tracks tend to sound similar, to my ears anyway, whereas this piece -
LT - . . . is a repetitive noise. 
AM - Jesus Christ in a tutu.
LT - Well it is, listen to it.
AM - There! They heard you - it’s suddenly changed, cut to a slaughterhouse - now we’re in Jacques Cousteau territory - camera pan to a 1920s salon!
LT - Idiot - that’s the next track. That’s what happens when you listen to a racket that deserves 1/10 and that’s just for the ansaphone message - your brain’s gone for a burton.
AM - My God, that’s an old phrase - I’ve not heard that for years!
LT - That’s probably coz this horrible noise is sending me back to the womb.
AM - I wonder what the derivation is of that term, ‘gone for a burton’ - it’s most odd.
LT - So was that bloody racket.
AM - Oh you’re a hard bastard at times - I’m giving it 8/10 at the very least, it’s menacing and merely needs a little more variety in the central section to merit full marks.
 - John Tree - The W*y You Look Ton*ght
LT - What the bloody hell is this all about then?
AM - No idea - Resonance would love this - bits and pieces - that bloody Eric Satie again.
LT - Eric Satie?
AM - Yes, hear that dreadful piano? It’s his most famous piece. Satie is the most stupid, tedious and boring composer France ever produced. The 1920s gear sounds positively ecstatic by comparison. I wonder if this is an original 1920s piece modified by 21st century computer technology or a contemporary person doing a pastiche or a homage to that era?
LT - I dunno but it’s really irritating. 2/10.
AM - You think so? Well, it is a bit ponderous but it’s also rather unusual - I’ll give it 5/10.
 - Boxhead - Static & Silence
LT - What’s this in - 6/4 isn’t it?
AM - Probably. Jesus, why does this have to be so repetitive? It’s a shame because this is a really nice, cool groove - it needs a vibraphone or a saxophone playing a lead melody or improvising over the top.
LT - Yeah, I agree, it sounds like a backing track to something. The drums are too loud, as well.
AM - Yes I think so, too. There, they heard us - it’s changed now.
LT - It’s still in that same key tho - I wish it’d do something different - it’s started to annoy me now.
AM - The electric piano does that to most people - I do like it even though it is a bit 1970s.
LT - Yeah, that’s what it is - film music - 
AM - Absolutely! Imagine this played in the background as an angst ridden young detective in side-burns and flares searches for the missing body somewhere in the backstreets of Paris. I’ll give it 7/10.
LT - No, I can’t be that generous - 6/10.
 - Seven Footsteps To Satan - The Devil’s Janitor
LT - Oh yeah! All right - this is more like it. Yeah, this is the best one yet.
AM - Bedroom rave - the Chemical Brothers without the technology - but I agree with you, it is rather gear. It merits 8/10.
LT - Yeah, it has energy, a wonderful Hammer horror laugh in the middle and - what? Is that it? It’s over already? Right, well, I deduct 2 points because it’s far too short - I was really enjoying that, too. 8/10.
 - The Shi-ites - Dopamine Dream
LT - More acoustic guitars -
AM - Yes, acoustic guitar valium rock again - bah, this is miserable, dreary -
LT - Shut up, man, you don’t know nothing about anything. There’s a nice folky type of thing going on here.
AM - It’s perfectly horrid.
LT - That coming from the man who owns every recording Gentle Giant ever made.
AM - Your point being?
LT - Well, it proves your opinion on anything musical simply can’t be trusted at all . . . not at all.
AM - What, so you’d like to hear this again, would you?
LT - Yeah, I wouldn’t mind - it’s all right, I mean it’s nothing special but it’s a bloody sight better than that Iblis racket you raved about.
AM - I don’t care - I give it 0/10 because it’s the most irritating track I’ve heard so far and also because I know they’re capable of much better material - they recorded some far superior tracks on previous godspunks.
LT - You better hope they’re not real Shi-ites or you’ll go to work and find your office has been blown up. No, they should have 4/10 at least.
AM - See? Even after all that ingratiating waffle, you only give them 4/10.
LT - Oh shut up, man, you’re just a pussy. Worse, you’re a pussy who likes prog rock. Worse still, you’re a pussy who not only likes prog rock but you don’t even have the decency to be ashamed of it.
 - The Melodramatic Monkey - Giraffe & Egg
LT - Hello, it’s Stan again. Not content with sneaking onto one of our tracks, he’s crept into this one as well. He has a very distinctive voice, doesn’t he?
AM - Yes . . .
LT - Why’re ya chuckling?
AM - Because he always sounds so spiteful and feisty - always sounds as if he’s ready to insult someone - it’s a most endearing characteristic.
LT - Here, listen to this - it’s gone into a rolling juggernaut groove. This is pretty bloody good.
AM - Yes it is - an excellent bass guitar or bass keyboard sound - and there’s a xylophone!
LT - A reggae groove’s crept in now - this is brilliant!
AM - Luc, I think we’ve discovered the best track on here!
LT - Yeah, there always seems to be one, doesn’t there? I mean, one track on these compilations that’s obviously and clearly superior to all the others.
AM - Yes . . . pity it’s never one of our own works.
LT - But that’s different - we can’t judge that, can we? We’re too close to our own stuff to be able to offer a proper comment on it.
AM - No, it’s the curse of the creative artist ever to be denied the luxury of objectivity.
LT - Fair enough, I couldn’t put it better myself.
AM - No you couldn’t, because you never read books and you always have that damned I-pod stuffed in your ear like so much plastic spaghetti -
LT - Oh shut up, man, and get back to your Gentle Giant records. Anyway, I’m giving this 10/10. What d’ya reckon?
AM - Yes, certainly 9/10 - I think I’d prefer it to last a little longer.
 - Lazlo Klemke - The Spyral Suitcase
LT - Now, is this really some undiscovered soundtrack from the 1960s or is it Dan Whaley pretending? I reckon it’s him pretending.
AM - Why?
LT - Coz the music’s all too well produced - the bass guitar is deep, punchy and clear. The only 1960s recordings where bass guitars ever sound like that are those on Japanese pop ‘groups sounds’ records. No, this is all too clear and precise - it even sounds digital. This is someone doing a very clever recreation of 1960s spy thriller soundtracks.
AM - Well, you can always check on the net - type Lazlo Klemke into Google.
LT - Okay then, when I go home I will - of course, if you weren’t such a bloody retro-head luddite, you’d be on the internet here and we could check it out and give a more intelligent review of the piece.
AM - It has nothing to do with my hostility toward technology - I simply don’t want the authorities and the advertisers to know where to find me. I intend to remain below the radar for as long as possible.
LT - Oh well, yeah, that’s fair enough; I can understand that.
AM - Anyway, here we are again with that French detective still searching for the body -
LT - No, he’s found it from the sound of this.
AM - Good - now maybe he’ll bugger off and make his racket somewhere else.
LT - You what? D’ya mean to tell me, in all seriousness, that you don’t like this?
AM - No I don’t - I mean to say, hang it all, this kind of stuff has been done and dusted decades ago and it really wasn’t any good at the time so it’s hopelessly out of step with the contemporary scene now. It’s not relevant to what’s happening now.
LT - But does that matter? Is Bach relevant to what’s happening now?
AM - No, you can hardly make that comparison because Bach serves an entirely different function. It’s music designed -
LT - But it’s still ancient music - it might be really good, I dunno, I find Bach and all that baroque and 18th century stuff boring but if a piece of music was really good in 1966 then isn’t it just as good now? Besides, you could say UNIT is retro - if we were that 21st century then we’d be doing slow jams, R&B and grime.
AM - Oh yes, certainly, but you see I don’t believe most 1960s film music was anywhere near as exciting or dramatic as modern listeners would have us believe. Look at all those trendy Camden types who rave about The Kinks, The Small Faces and 1960s pop groups - most of it is utter drivel. What they’re doing is trying to resurrect what they perceive to be a magical era because they’re too young to have lived during it. Well, I was born in 1966 and my only abiding memory of that period is intense bigotry, ridiculous attitudes and desperate poverty. The sixties were only swinging and fab if you were one of the elite minority of trendy young things whose parents were sufficiently wealthy and indulgent to support your decadent lifestyle. If you were an ethnic minority in Britain, the 1960s were definitely not swinging, fab and groovy.
LT - Well, I can’t say much about that, can I? I was born in 1989.
AM - Good - that means you missed the 1980s, the decade that decency forget - crap fashions, crap politics and crap music. This is irritating as well. 3/10.
LT - Oh come on, it deserves far more than that. I’ll give it 7/10. Actually, if it really is an original 1960s soundtrack then it deserves 7/10 but if its people recreating that sound in the 21st century then it merits 8/10 for being so clever.
 - the taurus board - the hod cloppers: the first rehearsal
LT - Here we go - you can nearly always rely on Hef to deliver the goods.
AM - Yes, usually it’s worth saving the taurus board until last because his tracks generally form the one contribution to any godspunk album on which we agree.
LT - Pity about that voice toward the end tho.
AM - Really? I rather enjoy that about his pieces, those strange, daft people nattering on about this and that.
LT - But they interfere with the music - like when you try to listen to a programme on an FM radio and some other foreign station starts to butt in - that’s what it’s like. I wanna hear this without that voice.
AM - That’s a fair point actually. It’s a kicking groove though.
LT - Yeah, it’s one of his stronger efforts. Let’s play it again.
AM - Fair enough. Do you realise that when people read these reviews, we come across as real taurus board fans? ‘Oh, it’s those lads from UNIT again - well, I suppose they’ll do what they always do, save the taurus board till last and rave about it as usual.’
LT - Tough! We can’t help it if his stuff is always so good.
AM - UJ doesn’t like the taurus board much.
LT - UJ likes Metallica so his opinion is absolutely worthless. Christ, he’s even more far gone than you are.
AM - Oh, thank you very much. So does that mean you accept my love of Ornette Coleman, The Sun Ra Arkestra and Peter Brötzmann?
LT - Oh shit, yeah, I forgot about all that crap - no, I take it back - no-one’s as far gone as you are. Anyway, I’m giving this only 9/10 because of that silly voice at the end.
AM - Fair enough - but I’ll award it 10/10 despite the silly voice!
 - UNIT - Employment Enjoyment
LT - You know this could be a really good pop song with an excellent lyric but you had to go and spoil it with all that silly saxophone squealing in the middle.
AM - But Luc, I put that in to make the piece more adventurous and less like a normal, conventional pop song.
LT - No, you’ve already achieved that with the lyric and the splendid harmonic progression you asked me to write for the keyboards. It sounds like a bit of one of your avant garde jazz records has gate-crashed itself into our pop song.
AM - Well, yes, I see what you mean. You know, what really annoys me about this?
LT - Your vocals.
AM - Yes! How did you know?
LT - Because you always complain about your vocals - honestly, they aren’t nearly as awful as you think they are. Okay, you don’t have a very powerful voice but at least you can sing in time and in tune.
AM - I still sing like a strangled parrot.
LT - Anyway, I like this version because I prefer pStan’s voice to Richard’s in the spoken bits. I’ll only give it 7/10 because that saxophone and piano string scratching in the middle spoils it.
AM - Well, I’ll give it 8/10 because those aspects improve it!
 - UNIT - Minh, Binh & Vinh
LT - God, this is boring. I much prefer the version on Sons Of The Dragon.
AM - What’s the matter with this one then?
LT - It’s too much like heavy metal and it’s repetitive, all that daft twiddly lead guitar. I’m glad UJ wanted the Hammond B3 to be used, tho, that makes a big difference.
AM - Yes, your playing has definitely improved over the years - not that it was ever bad.
LT - No but sometimes I went out of time - my time-keeping was dreadful when I first joined the group. This rocks along nicely but it needs something more to make it interesting and less like some 1970s rock thing. I’ll give it 5/10 and even then I’m being generous.
AM - Well, I quite like it, especially since I’m not on it, so I’ll give it 7/10.
 - UNIT - Labor Callum Obducit Dolori
LT - Here we go again - this could be a really catchy instrumental like Ming Hai but Richard has to put in a bloody drum solo and it’s not even that well played.
AM - You really are dicing with death here, Luc.
LT - No, seriously, if you’re going to shove in a drum solo then you have to be able to use the drums in an interesting and inventive manner - he just bashes away like a maniac.
AM - Quietly bonkers is what you wrote.
LT - Well, I was being polite because he was in the room at the time.
AM - Who’s that on the vibraslap?
LT - That’s Richard as well. He had 5 bloody cymbals and 2 floor toms but it just sounds messy. The aeroplanes are good, tho!
AM - My favourite is your additional melody on that Casio VL Tone when the main music returns after Richard has done his Ginger Baker bit. I missed most of this when you 3 did it.
LT - Well you were reading that crazy book by Frank Key. I’ve never understood what you see in that stuff.
AM - Have you never heard his programme Hooting Yard on Resonace?
LT - A coupla times, yeah, but it’s too silly, I can’t get into it at all. I can get into this, tho. Yeah, I’m actually enjoying this now. Maybe the drum solo isn’t so bad after all. I’ll give it 7/10.
AM - This is the first time I’ve really listened to this since it was first mixed - yes, it really is one of our better tracks - 8/10.
 - UNIT - Eagle
LT - I’m glad we included this version of this track. It really is one of the best things you’ve ever written. That said, I still prefer the version with your singing.
AM - Really? My dear old thing - but UJ has a mournful, restrained character that really suits this piece. It also means that out of the 4 pieces on this album, I’m only on 1 of them!
LT - Yeah, he sings really clearly, I’ll give him that - you can hear all the words - I really enjoyed playing this - all those unconventional chord progressions. Who is McKenna anyway?
AM - He doesn’t really exist - well, no, he does exist but he’s actually an amalgam of 3 different people I’ve known over the years. The name derives from Joseph McKenna, a young Glaswegian actor who appeared in Coronation Street, the play The Slab Boys by Johnny Byrne and the episode A Little Learning by Ian McCulloch from the 1970s science fiction series Survivors. It was that latter appearance that inspired the piece - he plays Eagle, the leader of a group of children forced to fend for themselves in a post-apocalyptic society, Britain after its population has been decimated by a global plague.
LT - Well, I’m glad you watched it then since this ballad was the result. Is that the same series UJ has been watching for weeks?
AM - Yes - I showed him a couple of episodes in 2009 and he was so inspired he asked me to buy him the complete box set of all 3 series. In fact, I only vaguely remember it from when I was a boy but Andy Nunn sent me the first few episodes in 2008 and I was so amazed and impressed that I ordered the original box set of DVDs from e-bay.
LT - Well anyway, I’m giving this 10/10 because now I’ve removed that horrible saxophone and flute section, it’s perfect.
AM - Indeed? I’ll give it only 9/10 because now you’ve surgically removed the saxophone and flute section it isn’t quite so impressive or interesting! Mind you, it does work as a more conventional ballad like this and you’ve done the remix really well.
LT - Okay then - so how does godspunk volume nine compare with all the others?
AM - Well, I still haven’t heard a collection that matches the almost continual excellence of godspunk volume five but there are a few fine moments on this set.
LT - I reckon it’s one of the best yet. Congratulations and respect due to Stan & Co!

 - Review by Mark Wharton, Idwal Fisher, September 2010
There’s no getting away from the fact that Blackpool manages to house more than its fair share of nutters, and I guess we can call Stan Batcow [or pStan as I think he likes to be known] one of them - but in a nice self deprecating way of course, and not a dangerous ring you up at 6am on a Sunday morning wanting to kill you kind of way. pStan has been steadily ejecting Pumf release from Pumf HQ for donkeys years, and every now and then our courses collide and I actually get off on one of them. The godspunks are welcome and hidden within their myriad depths there usually lies the odd gem waiting to be discovered.
A cursory glance down the twenty two tracks of godspunk volume nine, though, finds me face to face once more with UNIT, a band that I seem to have some difficulty with. I thought I’d turned a corner with UNIT as in a previous godspunk I vaguely remember burying the hatchet and coming out all in favour of their wonky jazz pop punk pap but once again that jarring mix of vibraphone, keyboard, sax, crap drummer with crap singer has returned to haunt me. I imagine them setting up their gear in a pub in Hendon on a wet Sunday afternoon in February, a pub peopled with disinterested punters deep into their cups brooding over a final pint before going home to a damp flat and an angry missus. Arguing over whose turn it is to get the drinks in and who’s having the best amp UNIT eventually announce their presence, skittle through ten numbers to desultory applause before piling into the back of their rusty N reg Transit only to get lost on the way home. I dare say that they’re a decent group of upstanding human beings with all the attributes that combine to make talking to them a positive social experience [their info page on the insert mentions the Angry Brigade and one of them is a spin bowler so all’s not lost] but as ever, I struggle with their music. Let us not dwell on such matters for too long though for merriment is to be had.
godspunks are co-operative affairs whereby each contributor chips in a set amount of money which guarantees them a set number of tracks and a set number of copies in return. Its a win win situation as artists who may find the expense of releasing their own work on CD prohibitive are given exposure whilst finding themselves shoulder to shoulder with like minded musicians. You do get the odd sore thumb though and past comps have seen the inclusion of noise based artists who stick out like pervs in a playground but on the whole they work.
This issues outsider is The Death of the Enlightenment Project whose sub four minute ansaphone cum noise tilt sits easy on these ears but may not be as welcome to UNIT or Boxhead whose lounge ethnic ambience appears from nowhere like the offspring of The Penguin Cafe Orchestra meets The Art of Noise. John Tree’s The W*y You Look Ton*ght is equally beguiling; a forties gas lamp crooner ballad that he somehow manages to manipulate into one of Satie’s Gymnopodie’s before morphing it back to its origins - eerie, unexpected and most welcome. Stan’s own project Howl in the Typewriter bookends things as is custom and then there's the usual suspects including the taurus board, Dimm D3ciple, The Shi-ites, Lenin’s Virulent Muscle and the Balkan'oliks amongst a handful of batty others. Its all harmless fun of course and I’m loathed to cast any of it in a bad light seeing as they all seem to be having such a good time but most of it is passes me by leaving nothing on the ears but a vague sense of having heard something wacky and amusing but not entirely lasting. godspunk volume nine is in need of a stand out track and the nearest it gets is John Tree. Where are the Las Vegas Mermaids when you need them? As ever, comes with a full colour booklet and lots of contact info.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), Nov 2009
 - Evil Jack McDeath - The Sunglassed Eye
Far too long and repetitive - definitely 1981 cassette bedroom feel to this. 5/10.
 - DIMM - Ixx Perra Mental 
Dear God but this is bloody irritating and there are 6 minutes of it, too. I definitely prefer the tracks on the previous CD because this is intolerable. However, one thing is obvious: this has the most professional sound of all the tracks here and since it is evident that plenty of work and thought went into it, I have to award it at least 6/10.
 - The Shi-ites - Spatial
Bloody hell, it’s Oasis . . . oh no, my mistake, it’s actually The Sh-iites. OK, so where’s the hammond organ then? Sorry lads, but this is horrible. The vocals are too quiet as well. 3/10.
 - Heffalump Trap - Bus Shelter
Over 6 minutes of this - hey oop - for that amount of time I want progressive rock, free jazz or decent heavy metal - but this is none of those. Christ it’s repetitive. DO SOMETHING! Change that bloody riff, go somewhere interesting, yes yes yes, you’ve done that same thing for 3 solid minutes now do something else . . . no? Oh. Are you sure you won’t go to another key, a different sonic background or a different time signature? No? Oh. Well, sorry, but you leave me no alternative. I did warn you. 2/10.
 - The Cockfield Two - On The Hook
The booklet image and text are excellent - but the music is, er, less so. Keyboard too loud, vocals too quiet & I absolutely loathe drum machines (as Stan now knows, having read my review of The Def-A-Kators CD). 3/10.
 - Boxhead - Sebok Goes To The Shops
This is what those baggy trousered I-pod bedecked Chavs deserve to have done to them! 8/10.
 - Boxhead - Murderer
More Resonance material; they’d love this. Highly amusing but way too long. 7/10.
 - The Melodramatic Monkey - Eaten By A Giant Razz
Related to Boxhead perchance? This is from a similar stable. A bit too silly even for me but it could start a new genre: avant garde hip hop. 6/10.
 - The Melodramatic Monkey - Ragzilla Vs Octopus
The various bizarre sections prevent this from being a ‘skip forward’ job but it’s still bloody tedious after a while. There are interesting moments where it is by turns intriguing and amusing but it still only rates 5/10.
 - The Melodramatic Monkey - Nipples
This is better, more effective and unpredictable. All 3 of these should be sent to Resonance as I’m sure they’d be played on air. Certainly they deserve to be heard by a broader audience - and no, I don’t just mean fat people. There is something delightfully unpretentious about these 3 pieces as if they are saying ‘it’s okay to have fun with technology’. 7/10.
 - The Balkan'oliks - Sabaka Casa
More fun with technology but inna gypsy east European stylee. Romany folk songs versus drum ‘n’ bass and why not? A bit tedious after a while but still enjoyable. 6/10.
 - The Balkan'oliks - Syrnyj Poezd
Christ knows how you pronounce that. Again, it’s too repetitive for my ears but still interesting and highly unusual. 7/10.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Rainbow Footsteps
Typically nasty lyric backed by mutated pop music; it all sounds unusually murky and muddy but there’s a nice guitar sound. 6/10.
 - Howl In The Typewriter: (The Very Long Title)
Bloody hell, I’m not typing all that out. It’s a superb sentiment anyway. Actually, the cosmos is mainly just empty space where nothing happens at all. I think it was designed by Samuel Beckett. Turn up the vocals, for crying out loud, so we can all hear them, what are you playing at down there? Superb end quote. 4/10.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Seven Men
Highly disturbing taped voice set to totally inappropriate and extremely irritating music so the whole effect is ruined. You’re a cruel man, Stan. 3/10.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - The Circuit
Harp glissandi (The Beach Boys come to mind) plus sampled church bells that are totally in tune with the music - blimey, Stan Batcow joins New Order. This is absolutely brilliant, mutant pop at its best. Superb. One of the very best tracks Howl In The Typewriter have ever recorded; should be on Radio 1 and X FM on a daily basis. 10/10.
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Beach Bum
Ah, I mentioned the Beach Boys just now and look what happens. I have a CD on which I have collected all my favourite Beach Boys tracks . . . so I suppose you don’t want a copy, do you, Stan? No, I thought not. 7/10.
 - UNIT - One Of The Lads
Can yellow men play the blues? Based on this excursion, apparently not. Why did they ask me to resurrect this ancient Apostles number? It’s ridiculous. My singing is even worse. 2/10.
 - UNIT - Shameless
I try to be Karl Blake and fail but UJ enjoys himself on guitars and Luc drags his Casio VL Tone all the way from 1983. So that little instrument was manufactured 6 years before he was born. Some of my sax notes are actually in tune - sell out! 7/10.
 - UNIT - Buckingham Palace Burns Down
The bass guitar is too quiet. Probably the best drumming Luc has ever done for UNIT so far. UJ excels himself on guitar - or knackers himself trying - ee but it’s reet champion all the same. 9/10.
 - UNIT - Mr Arsehole
Lovely chord sequence by Luc and excellent bass guitar by UJ with his sarcastic vocals that just emphasise what a crap voice I have by comparison. The drumming is only just in time though! 8/10.
 - UNIT - I Heard Him Call My Name
They insisted we record this and what a waste of time it was, too. The original song is crap and the recording and performance is a mess. Backing vocals too loud, Luc on drums is too quiet. Despite some frantic guitar from UJ, this is still dire. 1/10.
 - the taurus board - In Der Teestube
 - The first 2’35” constitute the most boring, tediously repetitive nonsense I’ve ever heard; it’s absolutely abysmal. I’d never have thought it possible from the taurus board. Then at 2’36”, normal service is resumed and we have a kick ass groove straight from the Ministry Of Sound. The first half: 0/10. The second half: 9/10.
Summary: more humour and fun filled frolics on this issue but it requires a few more conventional pop or rock songs plus one or two more ‘traditional avant garde’ pieces (a la Hebetation or Stream Angel) for an ideal balance of genres. Major discovery this time around: The Balkan'oliks - make sure they’re on godspunk volume nine please!

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT)
Myself and Luc Tran listened to this CD in the order in which these tracks are reviewed here. Most tracks we played twice before committing ourselves to any opinions. In general, I favour avant garde and experimental soundscapes whereas Luc is more interested in rock and pop pieces. In this manner, perhaps the resultant review will be more balanced and indicative of the contents - or perhaps our views will still be a load of bollocks. You decide.
 - SAASSS - La La La (6/10)
Horrible song title, dreadful name - but this field recording of a primary school music session is strangely attractive - taken out of context by appearing on this compilation, the music has a slightly plangent quality. Luc gives this 1/10 - he says its boring - I told you he was a sap.
 - Ray Reagan And The RayGuns - Dopamine (4/10)
This grunge infected pop song veers too close to punk rock for my tastes - the quiet section works best - the vocalist has precise diction so the disturbing words can be heard clearly as they’re spat out over the distorted guitar noise - Luc gives this 8/10 but then he would.
 - HRT - The Hairline Crack (5/10)
If Five Or Six were alive and active today, they might just record music like this - guitars like humpback whales - drenched in reverb and digital delay - my one complaint is that this is far too long for its content - after about 3 minutes I become bored with it. Luc, being perhaps more patient, awards this 7/10.
 - Arkon Daraul - The Dogs / Fording Principle (9/10)
This is the kind of sonic weirdness Cherry Red used to release circa 1981 - so it should sound old fashioned and dated - but it doesn’t! Why? I don’t know yet - perhaps it doesn’t matter - this works because it creates an interesting and slightly disturbing atmosphere (and boasts an intriguing title, too). Luc also gives this 9/10 because he’s a genius.
 - Las Vegas Mermaids - Bruce Willis (9/10)
In our brief experience, this outfit are generally much more satisfying in live concerts than in their studio recorded work. However, they have a hit here: they’ve managed to create a wonderfully spiteful assault on Hollywood action heroes set to a pastiche of 1980s synthi-pop that positively oozes sarcasm with its combination of satirical text and smooth, sexy female vocal delivery. Luc goes further and awards this 10/10 so this is definitely the hit single from the compilation.
 - Dimm D3ciple - Take A Day (1/10)
So come on chaps, just how do you pronounce ‘D3ciple’? Christ, I can’t stand this, it really irritates me! Luc gives it 7/10 because, unlike me, he isn’t allergic to acoustic guitars. He reckons this would sound even better if there’d been a vocal harmony going with 2 singers.
 - Dimm D3ciple - Smoke Screen (2/10)
Bloody hell, what an excellent introduction - then it goes tits up and enters Mike Oldfield territory - bah! Luc, who says this would be excellent if that ‘noise’ at the start was removed, still gives it 8/10.
 - The Cheeky Buddhas - Water Wings (7/10)
This is from very similar territory to La La La - manipulated field recordings - but that insistent marimba rhythm becomes irritating after a while. On the other hand . . . I can’t make my mind up about this. As more instruments are added, it becomes more interesting - an African sound- then the clarinet enters and I’m hooked! Even Luc is prepared to give this the benefit of the doubt with a generous 8/10.
 - Maybe Alaska - Sound Effects (6/10)
Is that Little Walter on amplified harmonica? Is that Brian Eno on synthesiser? Is this ‘a tedious self indulgent seven minute sonic mess’ (Luc) or ‘an intriguing exploration of distortion on disparate juxtaposed musical genres’ (me)? The 5/4 rhythm that kicks in around 6’ heralds the section that convinces me: ‘if you don’t stop (garbled) down the stairs while I’m recording, I’ll f****** explode’! Luc shamelessly awards this a mere 1/10.
 - Richard - My Life As A Supermodel (1/10)
Christ, is this a mess or what? It’s horrible! Sounds like the singer’s stood next to me while the band is in the basement. Luc likes the lyric so he gives it 4/10.
 - Upwey-hey - Clare’s Noodle (1/10)
What on earth is this all about then? Luc mutters ‘too silly’ but still gives it 3/10.
 - John Tree - The Fetishist (8/10)
My God, this is so cool it’s straight out of the fridge. It needs a saxophone instead of that irritating banjo, though. The keyboard lends an aura of menace. The pizzicato string section is effective. The title really suits this mood music. Now look at Luc, he’s given it 4/10, says it goes on too long, what a pussy.
 - Chelsea From Essex - Deal Ear (1/10)
This hurts my ears - if Whitehouse wrote pop tunes, they’d sound like this. I don’t mind telling you this is driving me quietly bonkers. Mind you, it’s obvious a fair amount of thought and effort has gone into this. Luc says it makes him laugh - maybe it’s driven him psychotic? He gives it 2/10.
 - RooHmania - Thoughtless A (4/10)
Vangelis meets Tangerine Dream, God help us. Luc gives this 2/10 - well, really!
 - RooHmania - Thoughtless B (6/10)
Vangelis meets The Tomorrow People - this is a definite improvement - an apparently gentle new age electronic wallpaper piece but there’s an unhealthy threat of violence in the background. Luc gives this 2/10 as well - there’s no pleasing some people.
 - RooHmania - Thoughtless C (7/10)
Vangelis meets Tangerine Dream in the Tomorrow People laboratory - probably the best of the three - but these are at their most effective when the trio are joined together to make a continuous work. Luc gives this 6/10.
 - The Richwoods - Snow On The Sea, Uke Crazy Mother, Chinned (6/10)
All 3 of these otherwise delightful ukelele pieces are seriously spoiled by the O.T.T. reverb that has been plastered over them - the final piece works best, perhaps because the effects actually become part of the music - but it sounds unfinished - still, it makes a change from the electric guitars and cheesy keyboards favoured by most other groups. Luc gives this 4/10 which is bit cruel, surely?
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Planet Head (8/10)
It hovered between 7/10 and 8/10 - then the bagpipes kicked in - that did it! Luc only gives this 6/10 because he’s a sap.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Dandelion (3/10)
Sorry, Stan, but this falls way below your normal standard - we wait for something to happen but it never does. Even Luc, who normally enjoys HitT, can only go as far as 4/10.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Garden Of Eden (7/10)
Nice use of choir sample and drum track in related rhythm - closely recorded spoken vocal is oddly disturbing - on second hearing this is really rather good - especially the sentiment spoken clearly at the end with which we both agree totally. For that reason alone it deserves the 8/10 Luc awards it.
 - the taurus board - Starfish (8/10)
The best aspect of godspunk CDs is that there is always a taurus board track. This is the one outfit that both Luc and I agree on, i.e. we reckon they’re bloody brilliant and that anyone who disagrees with us is simply wrong. I was a raver in the 1990s so I have an excuse - Luc missed it all (he was born in 1989) so with him there’s no possible accusation of nostalgia kicking in. However, this (like all their contributions so far) is not retro - it’s rave music for the 21st century. Once again, Luc starts jiving and dancing and I have to stand up and join in. That’s the effect this outfit has on cool, groovy people. As a piece of music to hear through speakers in my home, it loses some of its effectiveness, being rather repetitive: in a club with the right vibe this would be a kicking tune! Luc awards it 9/10.
Finally, it’s over to Luc for our own group.
 - UNIT - Scoop Six Place Pot (6/10)
I wrote this to give UJ a hard time on bass guitar. I find punk rock really funny - it’s silly but enjoyable. The drum sound is crap, mainly because I can’t really play drums, I just fake it. The title is by Birmingham poet Andy Nunn and is something to do with betting on horse racing. I enjoyed this at the time but hearing it now, it’s a bit moronic. Andy gives it 3/10.
 - UNIT - Better Dead Than Red (7/10)
The music to ‘F*** Off Gordon Brown’ is used for a new lyric by Andy which I think is a bit worrying because it veers too close to the BNP manifesto for my liking. This music is brilliant, one of his best pop tunes, but those words make me cringe. Andy gives it 9/10 because he’s a right wing nutter.
 - UNIT - Michael’s Brothel (6/10)
The title is by UJ - we’ve been trying to persuade Michael to join UNIT for nearly 2 years - he’s a better keyboard player than I’ll ever be - and he rattled this off in one take then asked me to add electronic keyboards and a bass guitar part. UJ does okay on bass but I’m not sure this actually needs the vibes - the time keeping is a bit suspect in places too. Andy gives it 7/10.
 - UNIT - Eagle (10/10)
This is easily one of the very best pop songs Andy has ever written - it’s bare hard - excellent words and strange, haunting music - I like the interesting harmonies, the Wire guitar and the vocals by UJ - a version of this without the guitar and with Andy singing instead of UJ is on our latest album ‘Class War' but both Andy and I prefer this version. UJ insisted what he considered the ‘better’ version (with Andy singing) be included on the album - well, he was wrong - this is the definitive one! Andy only gives it 8/10 because he reckons the central saxophone section spoils it.
In conclusion: far more purely instrumental works on this compilation than previously - which makes a pleasant change - but this needs a couple more out and out pop or rock pieces for variety. On the whole this is still one of the best godspunks yet.

 - Review by Mark Wharton, Idwal Fisher
Stan Batcow has been collating the godspunk series for quite a few years now but with volume seven he’s finally pulled together a selection of people and music that bears repeated listening and may go someway to providing a finger post for people travelling in new directions here in credit crunch Britain 2009.
These 18 artists are a varied bunch of mongrels whose Englishness reminds me of Morris men, the M1, wet Sundays and abandoned car boot sales. The miserable clown on the cover is the giveaway as is Stan himself singing ‘Techno techno techno notice’ on the opening track Planet Head. American listeners may need some help here but they can still sit down with volume 7, beef tea in hand and listen to as fine a selection of ‘new music’ as there is flying around these lands today. 
Take HRT, he’s Tony Conrad, Howl in the Typewriter he’s end of the pier techno pop a la Fruitbat Bob and his Carter USM crossed with Paul Hardcastle and the birdy song. I even liked the contributions from UNIT. UNIT being an outfit who, not liking the way I took exception to their piss poor cockney agit punk on previous godspunk comps, decided to write a song about it, I’ve still to hear it. Here they’ve found a xylophone player to augment their angst and it works wonders. Their four tracks run together: Better Dead Than Red is an angry letter to Gordon sung in a dithering falsetto, Michael’s Brothel is a touching lament that seems to be their nod to Elton John’s Song for Guy and Eagle is Patrick Fitzgerald meets Tortoise. There’s nothing better than being proved wrong and enjoying it.
Water Wings by the Cheeky Buddhas is a field recording of bathers filled with water sounds, ukulele’s [?] and spoons [?]. Its nothing short of a sheer delight.
Last time around the Las Vegas Mermaids sang about bus drivers, here it’s Bruce Willis. The Richwoods three tracks are not that far removed from what The Penguin Cafe Orchestra got up to. Maybe Alaska’s Sound Effects is just that, seven minutes of obliterated mouth organ, 20’s dance hall music, John Carpenter doom and a voice that says ‘sound effects’ in a scary manner. pStan has three contributions but they’re all under different monikers; Richard is straight forward punk, SAASSS is a recording of a French infant class singing a nursery rhyme and Upwey-hey is but 19 seconds of nonsense. John Tree’s track is a piece of film music flummery. RooHmania’s three tracks of soporific ambience are spread at intervals acting as cleansing sorbets. I know I’ve missed some people out but to be honest its hard to find fault with volume 7 so you’ll just have to take my word for it and buy it and enjoy it for what it is - the glorious sound of an inventive island providing a positive alternative to the vast oceans of mundane pop pap that passes for mainstream entertainment today.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT)
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Weigh How
It is due to tracks like this that I much prefer Howl in the Typewriter to the Ceramic Hobs. There is a slightly 1980s synthipop aspect to this is highly effective, not unlike Exhibit A or Twelve Cubic Feet. Luc says it oozes with suggestions of menace but I reckon he’s just quoting a review by someone else of a different piece entirely. 8/10.
 - Evil Jack McDeath - Interference
A bizarre instrumental that threatens to break into something interesting but never quite manages it. If it was a little longer perhaps I’d prefer it more. Still, it’s worth 7/10.
 - Jaw-D - Let 'Em Dance
Boring monotonous tedium recorded in a biscuit tin - which is probably rather a cruel thing to say but then it’s rather a cruel number. I did enjoy the occasional electronic noises that shoot across the piece. 2/10.
 - The Style Pigs - Fountain Of Blood
This is another of those songs that irritate me because it uses one of those old cliché chord progressions - although the brazenly vitriolic words do provide a highly bizarre contrast. 5/10.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Shit Bomb
Well, this is related to the previous number really - less than interesting music plastered with raucous invective that is too violently cynical even for me to be in total agreement with it but by ‘eck, what a mushroom cloud laying lyric! 6/10. NOTE: So it’s a crying shame that, after trying 11 different copies of the CD at random, this 1 track will not play properly all the way through on any of them - this is hardly deliberate since the skips and crackles are not identical on each of them but similar, i.e. they appear at around about the same time and continue, off and on, throughout most of the song. NOTE: Oh all right, so it IS deliberate you awkward sod.
 - John Tree - Fen Rap
A ‘nothing’ number - I had to play it a second time because the first time it made so little impression on me. No, sorry but it’s no better the second time around either. 2/10.
 - Turn Leathers - Rock & Pop Volume 1 \ The Rise & Fall Of Western Capitalism
This starts in Henry Cow mode then comes on like a northern answer to Derek & Clive - although the music is far more interesting! The first time I played this it irritated me but parts of it amused me so I played it again and it improves on second hearing - a kind of avant garde approach to humour while still, possibly, making a serious point - or maybe not. Who cares? It’s stuff like this that reminds me how incredibly pompous I can be at times. We need tracks like this to remind us we’re still just animals with I-pods and a neat line in designer sportswear. 8/10.
 - The Shi-ites - Swirlygig
Nice bass guitar sound - nice guitar sound - nice keyboard sound - pity about the music. (Ooh we are in a crabby mood this evening, aren’t we?) Sorry lads, I want to like this but there’s something missing from what should be a groovy instrumental. It’s vaguely 154-period Wire in sound - that’s certainly a compliment from me. I like the way this submerges itself underwater towards the end. 6/10. Now we’ve just gone back and played this again - yes, on second listen it merits 7/10.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Iodine Twat
Oh it’s these miserable bastards again. Backwards doesn’t cut it, folks - it still sounds like an unfinished backing track. 3/10.
 - Bartles - The Psychiatrists Head
Thank Christ this bunch returned for another stab at godspunk - their previous 2 contributions were superb so I was prepared to be disappointed this time around - but no, this also makes the grade albeit in a very different (cool jazz) musical mode. The kind of incisive lyric we’ve come to expect from this lot with that ever reliable combination: fury and humour. It rarely fails. 8/10.
 - Elwyn Temple Meads - All Right Me Lads
Lyric: excellent assault on folk music clichés. Music: bloody terrible, ruins the whole effect. This extremely amusing text deserves much better music than this. 4/10.
Intermission: as an aside, I notice that there are many short tracks this time around as opposed to a few longer works. This means few tracks are ever long and tedious (apart from our contribution) but some do sound like disposable filler material. From here on I listen to the tracks in a slightly different order from how they appear on the disc.
 - Elwyn Temple Meads - Isle Of St Claire
Lyric: excellent assault on folk music clichés. Music: bloody terrible, ruins the whole effect. An extra point because these words are even better! The music, like its companion All Right Me Lads, is simply too normal, too restrained, to do adequate justice to these wonderful words. 5/10.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Never Killed Anyone / This Way Down
Ah well you see I cheated - after I played this, I listened to it again but this time with both tracks re-mastered as mono tracks in both channels. This Way Down is one of the worst things I’ve ever heard; it’s dreadful. 0/10. Never Killed Anyone is superb and probably the best thing on here. 9/10. As a ‘single’ number, it doesn’t work when combined - one interferes with the other and spoils the effect. 3/10.
 - DimM D3ciPLe - Saw You Again
Dreadful folk suddenly gives way to electronica - I absolutely loathe this but it has to be said this is well put together and finely crafted, very professional in performance and arrangement - pity I can’t stand it! 1/10.
 - The Style Pigs - Mr Hatchet Dead Man
Much too punk rock for me to enjoy, not my cup of tea at all and I detest vocals when they’re put through that megaphone effect. So there. It’s even more annoying when this lot write lyrics that are generally interesting, too. 4/10.
 - Vance Palmier & Evil Jack McDeath - Hijo De Puta
Again, it’s too short - just when I start to enjoy it, it fades out. You tight fisted buggers! Come back here an’ play dat banjo, boy. 6/10.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Three Chrome Hooks
More marvellous lyrics - one thing that Volume 6 has in spades is a far higher quality of texts this time around which make the brief instrumental contributions even more worthwhile. Anyway, this is another winner although the bass is far too quiet. 7/10.
 - The Style Pigs - Hog II
Too much punk rockery for me here, far too much in fact. Oh, see? They heard me - it’s gone all 1980s synthi-funk - which is even worse! 1/10.
 - UNIT - Eco Warrior Blues
Now, compare the actual sound of this to most of the other tracks on here . . . and I had the nerve to accuse Jaw-D of sounding like they’d recorded their piece inside a biscuit tin. Well, what’s this, then, Tupperware? Also, here are six and a half minutes why I should not be encouraged to play saxophone on any of our recordings. Technically this is probably the worst contribution we have ever submitted for godspunk, at least since Volume 1, and apart from some of the keyboard playing by Luc, most of this sounds spastic, amateur and woefully inept. It’s painfully obvious here that I can’t sing for peanuts either. Worthy lyrics, yes, but those poor departed extinct species deserve a better send off than this clumsy sonic mess. 3/10.
 - Evil Jack McDeath - Miercoles
You see? A big professional sound with people who actually sound like they can play their instruments and enjoy doing so. Oh, that’s it, finished - another one that’s at least a minute shorter than it should be. 7/10.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Nation Of Two
A curious deliberate use of atonality which sets off the plaintive text nicely - although this whimsy soon descends into brutality before too long, naturally! One of those almost unbearably intimate songs that make Howl in the Typewriter one of the more unpredictable outfits to parade their wares on godspunk. 8/10.
 - The Haddenham One - timorous
You know what I said about the pleasant absence of long tedious tracks apart our own messy affair? Well, I spoke too soon. Unlike our track, however, this doesn’t sound like it was cobbled together in a biscuit tin by a bunch of amateurs. This reminds me of early period Nocturnal Emissions although I’m not sure why. 5/10.
 - Jaw-D - Story Time
Remember those late 1980s computer games? Failing that, think of the Sega or some of the music used on early Playstation 1 games - that’s what this is - after it’s been filtered through life experienced in the 1990s. I absolutely hate this; it actually hurts my ears! But at least it has personality and character. 2/10.
 - the taurus board - Angel One
Luc is actually up and dancing! Oh sod it, that’s it, I’m joining in. Why should these teenagers have all the fun? Yo, gonna bust me some moves here! Right, let’s play this bugger all over again - yes, another winner from this dynamic duo. Their Bus Stop things on the previous collection were a little disappointing but with this cracker they’re back on track. It could do with a bass guitar or bass sample of some kind, though, says Luc - and as usual he’s right. But it still deserves 8/10.

 - Review by Mark Wharton, Idwal Fisher
Stan Batcow’s steady trickle of lunacy continues with Pumf’s sixth volume of godspunkyness. After four attempts and varying degrees of success [in my opinion anyway] Stan finally hit pay-dirt with a cracking volume five. Juxtaposing a single noise track around the usual bunch of non-conformist popsters like the Las Vegas Mermaids, Needle Park, Stan’s own Howl in the Typewriter and the implausibly named Satan The Jesus Infekt’d Needles and Blood [amongst a host of others] he managed to harness all that ribald lunacy into a single cohesive unit that was both listenable and for once, repeatable. If dotty pop songs coupled with the fringes of mental health are your bag you missed out.
So to volume six. I see UNIT are still there. Last I heard, London ‘punk’ agitators UNIT had taken time out to pen a song deriding yours truly. Not content with hating multinationals and loving trees they seem to have taken a dislike to Idwal Fisher. I can only assume they have more time on their hands than they know what to do with. Here they chip in with a song called Eco Warrior Blues which if I was in charitable mood would suggest was a cocky, cheery pub rock Greenpeace anthem but I’m not - think sub Chas ‘n’ Dave penning an anarchist anthem after too many ales dahn the Elephant and Castle.
The Haddenham One’s sampled voice repeating the line “they spilt my medicine’’ over rumbling dubious hip hop cheers had me in its thrall. Characters like Evil Jack McDeath, The Style Pigs, The Shi-ites, Bartles and Elwyn Temple Meads populate godspunk releases like tramps on a park bench on a warm day. When not knocking out witty sideways-on songs about mental elf and stuff they build up dreamy techno-y worlds like DimM D3ciPLe [yes that is how its spelt]. So there’s something for everybody y’see. Top trumps on volume six tho is Stan’s own Howl In The Typewriter outpourings. The man comes at you like a demented Stock Aitken and Waterman production and because its his label he can have six goes - the best of which is a split channel affair; one channel sounding like someone putting on an anorak in a gale and the other a lonesome industrial drone. godspunk discs are little pieces of creation that every dysfunctional, tee-total, alcoholic, tree hugging, London b-boy, mental health sectioned largactyl numbed person should have. Keep em coming Stan.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), May 2007
This is just about the best godspunk yet.
1 hour later: this is definitely the best godspunk yet. If only LDB was on here, too (sigh).
 - Wound
Whitehouse . . . Lustmord . . . Nocturnal Emissions . . . Konstruktivists . . . The Grey Wolves . . . but mainly Whitehouse . . . I didn’t realise people still made rackets like this . . . it’s still disturbing and powerful though in 2007 it does seem a bit, you know, let’s make a horrible noise and shock Auntie Mavis when she comes round for cucumber sandwiches. Still, all power to them for doing it regardless. 8/10
 - John Tree - Night Of The Samba Drummer
Despite the not inconsiderable technical ability on display here, I find this really tedious and boring which probably shows what a philistine I’ve become these days. 20 years ago I’d have loved this I’m sure. 4/10
 - Las Vegas Mermaids - Bus Driver
The music’s absolutely horrible and boring but the words are most amusing and certainly accurately describe 95% of bus drivers in Edinburgh where they are trained to be as rude, abusive and incessantly miserable as possible at all times. 5/10
 - Jaw-D - Skateboard Park
This hurts my ears and that’s all there is to it. 0/10
 - Bartles - Iran & Iraq
By Christ, this bunch kick serious ass (so to speak). Very clever puns on place names . . .but what’s going on? There’s a band who are more political sounding than UNIT on a godspunk album - shock horror! What a voice, too. I wish I could growl like that. 9/10
 - Bartles - Pumpkin Dump
My God this is so creepy it’s frightening. Those deliberately out of sync voices + distant loud guitars are strictly from RIO 2 only better! Now this is what punk bands should sound like . . . innovative, powerful, interesting and shit-kicking with intelligence. 9/10
 - The Haddenham One - Rave 'Un
Yawn . . . sorry but this is just The Residents only worse. 2/10
 - The Haddenham One - Amateur Dub
. . . and so is this. The bass playing is good, though. 3/10
 - Evil Jack McDeath - Harmonium In My Head
Toothache . . . laying in a sweat stained bed with influenza and a migraine . . . ugh! Effective though grim. 4/10
 - The Charles Napiers - Things've Changed Round Here
Ennio Morricone on LSD only better . . .6/10
 - Satan The Jesus Infekt'd Needles And Blood - Insane Pervert Human Being
Jesus Christ, where do you find these people? Otomo Yoshihide when he was 15. This is almost as painful as Star Gate by UNIT. 3/10. Second listen: no, I was wrong . . . this is actually more like Faust without their hippy crap influences. It’s much better 2nd time round. 8/10
 - Big Ron Turner - Oh Kerim Bey
Acoustic guitar valium rock. Ugh! 2/10
 - Mrs Edna Watley - The Fifth Letter
More drones . . . okay, I know it’s short but . . . ugh! 2/10
 - Needle Park - She Comes In The Storm
This is what happens when a 21st century band has never heard any music from 1967 (nothing before 1976 in fact) but they have it described to them in words and they then try to recreate what they think it sounded like. Well, 1960s crap was never as good as this! 9/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - The Last Crumb
Such restraint is unusual for HITT - you lot really should write more out and out pop songs, you’re so good at it. The words are interesting, quite powerful in fact - music duzny move me much at all although when the bass comes in at about 1’50 the whole thing lifts and changes it from a mere 5/10 to a creditable 7/10.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - I Seen Man
I bet you all had real fun putting this together . . . sounds like you all chose your own Radio 2 music and played multiple layer samples to see what it would sound like . . . occasionally it’s effective. 6/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Preliminary Mash Up
No and I don’t like it either. 1/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Penultimate Mash Up
Silence would indeed be preferable to this. 1/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Concluding Mash Up
Bob The Builder is not the way to win friends and influence people, Stan . . . really, it isn’t. 1/10
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Bus Driver
Well, again, parts of this are really gear . . . while others just irritate me . . . but taken en masse, for the intricate arrangement and the constant changes of mood and tempo (plus occasional downright nastiness), it deserves at least 7/10.
 - the taurus board - Bus Driver On The Road
Not one of their best . . . too much poncy rhythms and not enough interesting stuff happening . . . it barely makes the grade. 5/10
 - the taurus board - Bus Driver I’m Going Home
This is more like . . . early evening in Ibiza, one of the warm up tracks to start people moving and bust some moves on the floor.
 - UNIT - Ivor Kallin Goes To Denmark Street
Hardly a classic but it’s good to hear U-J (on drums) try to keep in time with Luc (also on drums) while Trung (on bass, right) is clearly out-classed and a little over-awed by Dave (on bass, left). Achoi gives it large on his little keyboard and the vibraphone that has now become the most defining sound by which UNIT are identified. Ivor Kallin (correct spelling) presents Ambrosia Rasputin on Resonance.
 - UNIT - The Buddhist Response To Western Aggression
Eastern civilised boy teaches western barbarian how to behave . . . so stereotypical it’s almost condescending but it still works, just, although it would be better had I been able to play a little more in tune! 7/10
 - UNIT - No Matter, Try Again, Fail Again, Fail Better
U-J on flute (through wah-wah, octaver and flanger) and drums and Trung (on sax and one of the 2 bass guitars) are the stars of this piece although Luc (drums and piano strings) and Achoi (relentless piano) are not far behind. Dave is rather restrained on his bass guitar but this isn’t really his kind of music. All the same, this is quite simply one of the best pieces of improvised music UNIT has ever done. 9/10
It’s a pity U-J didn’t include the list of who plays what - this is the first time UNIT tracks have been included on which I don’t appear at all! Oh, no, apart from my abysmal sax blowing on Buddhist Response . . . but it has a reason for being there as you can understand.
All in all, this is probably the most consistently avant garde and inaccessible godspunk yet which is probably why it is also the most original, inventive, innovative and interesting. Even UNIT sound (almost) as adventurous as some of the other acts on here. Bartles are the major discovery here, of course although the rag-head contributions (tracks 2, 7, 15, 16, 19, 21) do much to make this one of the most intriguing compilations anyone has put out for years.

 - Review by Mark Wharton, Idwal Fisher, 2007
At the fifth attempt Pumf finally manage to put together a godspunk comp that is not only eminently listenable but worth returning to not just once but several times over your lifetime. I'd almost given up on Pumf supremo Stan Batcow to deliver a more than cursory listen godspunk but with number five he's not only given me something to treasure, it also contains three UNIT tracks that I didn't hate and and and get this kids A POWER ELECTRONICS track. Yessirreebob surenuffandyeshedoes knock me over with a feva lawks a mussey etc etc etc there it is track nine Wound. Whether that's the artist or title track I dunno but the refrain of 'fucked if you do fucked if you don't' over prime Con-Dom like ear batter had me all weak at the knees and ready to dash out and buy Stan a drink and then I remembered, he doesn't drink. But then I search on the incredibly well put together booklet that makes up the cover and there's no contact info for Wound so I begin to wonder if this is some kind of wind up but what the fuck it's a good track let it be for what it is.
So, godspunk five. Some of the names may be familiar. UNIT for one. But here they ditch that lame punk crap for some mighty parping. It suits them better. The 25 tracks kick off in fine style though with some Carter USM like pop brightness from Howl In The Typewriter. Three minute perfect pop don't you know. The man is massively underrated. There seems to be some Hobs involvement in the shape of The Haddenham One who sneaks in a few lines of Milovan's Raven [I'm gonna fuck you up the ass tonite!] in Rave 'Un and some Hobs lines from Amateur Cops in Amateur Dub then again in Satan Jesus and the Infekt'd Needles and Blood who play destroy everything Hijo like on the ridiculously named Thank You For Being Insane Pervert Human Being - Try A Hearing Aid On The NHS Shithead [Sorry If This Is Printed Upside Down]. Needle Park sound like an instrumental shoegazing band, which may not be a bad thing seeing as there seems to be some kind of revival in such matters if my reading of the runes is correct. There are but a few low-lights this being mainly some kind of techno babble from the taurus board whose version of Bus Driver [I'm Going Home] sounds like the crap that emanates from the open windows of badly customized Peugeot 106's driven by young men wearing baseball caps. There's a 40 second track that sounds like a warm up to a whirling dervish session from Big Ron Turner that seems to be chucked in for the fun of it. Enough of these trifles though for track 8 sees The Las Vegas Mermaids encapsulate everything that is bad about getting on a bus in this country with a syncopated bopping bass version of Bus Driver that is quite possibly one of my favourite tracks of the year. After hearing the bus set off and a quick tinkling of the bus bell female Vegas vox Fay Greenhaigh tears into her bus driver with a resigned familiarity; 'No I don't have change I have a note though it is legal tender' before looking out of the window and realizing she's lost and being kidnapped [I only wanted to go on an 18-30 holiday - where is the station?]. Sheer pop perfection that deserves to get The Las Vegas Mermaids on Top of the Pops or failing that Richard and Judy.
There's probably some folks I've missed out here but that's all the more reason for you to get your hand in your pocket and buy it. For once I'm looking forward to the next godspunk installment.

 - Review by Phil Smith (The Haddenham One)
godspunk is a series of compilation CDs my friend & longtime Hob Stan Batcow's Pumf label puts out. Released by pooling money from the contributors, its an easy & relatively cheap way to make available stuff you've done to lots of people who just might like it, on shiny little discs & with the luxury of a nice package. Natty.
Erm . . . I should also mention that I'm on it. Ah well, why not. Its certainly not a Philfest, with a mere six minutes of my addled ideas being wrestled into shape by said Batcow at his homestead studio (on this occasion in the form of some Hobs remixes). This is more like an excuse to talk a bit about the other people on it. Last Sunday afternoon was spent reviewing it alongside some of the other contributors, as we snapped jewel cases together, inserted booklets & got ready to receive our allotted copies. I'm listening again now & feeling it settle nicely, like all the other ones before it.
As usual, Stan provides material himself. His long-running Howl In the Typewriter project offers both brief musical conceits & longer, considered pop of a beguiling nature. Howl completists have a rich history to work on, as he revisits the feel of warped tunesmiths from the Beatles to My Bloody Valentine. Bartles is one of the sporadic foreign joes slipped in amongst the Sandgrown'uns & other UK postal addressees. A songsmith of the curious kind Stan loves to encourage & promote. Another long history of quirkiness & myth pops its head above the parapet. Elsewhere, top man John reappears in yet another incarnation (John Tree), this time to lay down upon us some jive-talkin' sambafied wiggle-gear. His output is illustrious but sadly still relatively small. The Las Vegas Mermaids get better & better with their crafted nu-age music hall tuneage & Heffey's taurus board is a game of two halves, with the second of the two contributions providing the smile-inducing acidic trance follow-on from the bubbling ambience of the first.
The mystery track is just entitled Wound, & apparently came unaccompanied by information or address, only money. Stan relayed this story with a slightly proud air (is a Batcow hand at play here?). It certainly doesn't sound Stan-stylee. A full-on power electronics track, it kinda falls somewhere between Whitehouse & something Dave Walklett might do. I'm not sure if PE experts will be tracking down the comp for this one, but they should be. As edgy to listen to as PE should be, it is in some ways my favourite track on the CD. Sounds a bit odd amongst the rest, but then we were talking about how this volume is a return to the experimentalism featured right back on volume one (with Hebetation & Stream Angel). It is an interesting aspect of the series. Instead of being a state of the union address from Stan, its a procession of the thoughts recently found bouncing around the heads of his contacts. A veritable Affleck's Palace of sound! It is disparate, but there's some sort of connection created by the very fact that everyone has chosen to come together in the same place.
Moving on, there are, as usual, some tracks from London's UNIT. They are an intriguing group, which you should really check out if you haven't already. I'll leave out their very individual biog & just say that the make-up of the group always seems to inform their truly adventurous music. Sounding different every time, here they have an experimental jazz angle to add to the Gaelic-Chinese rock guitar sound & odd timings of previous efforts. Referencing Denmark Street and Buddhism, they are as different as ever & hence sit very well on this strangest of series. Wouldn't be a bad Termite Club booking as stands here . . . And then there's the return of Satan the Jesus, Simon Hobs' late eighties project. I was too late to see these live, but they always sound excitingly mangled on tape. This is a new Satan the Jesus piece, a cut-up of previous efforts that takes on the effect of a noise collage. It wasn't my favourite on the CD, but maybe should constitute the beginning of a somehow appropriate updated incarnation of the band, the start of a revival even. More mangled even than the originals, it gives Simon the chance to flex his text-scrambling muscles. What it all means . . . I'm at a loss, old bean. Jaw-D & Needle Park are amongst the most conventionally tuneful cards on the table. Jaw-D has appeared in the series before under another name & is an ex-Blackpool Stan-pal. Needle Park is the brainchild of Hobs stalwart drummer, Ging. Melodic but still quirky, Pumfers to the core, lovers of pre-Britpop guitarness who have developed in a different direction to the posterboys & fashionistas. Finally, there are a number of tracks under various names including Mrs Edna Whatley, which I haven't truly got my head round yet but which all come from the same source. John Fahey pops into my head once or twice, but doesn't really sum it up. Blues fed through a teastrainer & an old tape-deck.
All in all, then, another godspunk that in some way, you do kinda need to hear. Much more entertaining to me than some dull genre-specific effort. Stancore in effect once again! The only missing link is LDB, the highly entertaining highlight of volumes one to three, a rapper in some ways able to stand his ground amongst the great, so good are his lyrics. LDB, we miss you. It should also be mentioned that RooHmania of the Hobs sticks his head in more than once, operating the desk. Kinda hitting the point of being in-house Pumf producer number two, the lad RooH has got it! He is also one of those people with little out & available but hundreds of things on the computer waiting to be unleashed. Get on it, RooH.

 - Andy Martin did write a review of godspunk volume four, but by the time reviews were being added to the Pumf website (some years later) pStan had lost that review. Which is strange, because he had kept all Andy's reviews of the various volumes together, and he's usually quite organised at stuff like that. He thinks that maybe he was the target of an extremely selective burglar, but he will apologise unreservedly anyway. It was probably his fault. Everything is his fault.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), August 2oo5
(Note: Dave has already listened to the CD but was not that interested in much of the contributors. I've relayed his comments, however. I have already listened to the disc through once but since I'm sat here with Achoi, who also wants to give his review, I have the benefit of a second listen before I allow my opinionated, biased comments to insult 75% of the bands and artists involved).
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Affairs Of The Heart
Gangsta rap now is it - oho - howling typewriters check out the LDB flAava - bossman Burton definitely up in yo 'hood. Enough: to date, this is beyond doubt 1) the most interesting lyric you have ever written (that I have heard), 2) the most proficiently performed work you have ever recorded (that I have heard) and 3) easily my favourite Howl In The Typewriter track of all. Even the brief punk excerpts are forgivable . . . but I find it extremely difficult to believe this is not either a deliberate homage to Lawrence or an intentional pastiche of his style. It surely cannot be a coincidence. 10/10 (Achoi somehow contrives to award this masterpiece a mere 8/10. Bah - youngsters, what do they know?)
 - The 3 Ages Of Elvis - Buttercup
No, no, no . . . this sounds like late 70s / early 80s pop punk - it's horrible. 1/10
 - The 3 Ages Of Elvis - Dishwash
Oh God, save me from hearing any more punk rock of any kind ever! Yes, I know they can play well and all that but this is just horrible. It's even more out of place on godspunk than our stuff. It's so conservative . . . well, too much for me. Nice band name though. 1/10 (Dave says these tracks are a gas but he's probably biased because he loves the band name! Achoi awards both these 0/10).
 - Pissed Off - Asylum
What the devil is this supposed to represent? Poor Eve Libertine now set to a bad dance track? This was one of the very few good tracks the otherwise odious / boring / tedious Crass ever released - so this bunch decide to ruin it. I see what they've tried to do and it's a brave attempt but the power of the lyric is obliterated. 3/10 (Achoi gives this 9/10 . . . but then he's never heard the Crass version which is perhaps an advantage in order to appreciate this. Dave, who used to like Crass, largely agrees with my sentiments).
 - Norman - Paranoia
Resonance FM would love this. Pity, really, because I can't stand it. I ought to like it, really . . . it's not so far removed from some UNIT material . . . the middle section is more intriguing, of course, until he goes punque roque and then I switch off entirely. It's also far too bloody long for my no doubt Simpsons addled attention span. 2/10 (Note: please tell Norman that Mr Dave Fanning reckons this is the best track on the whole CD! Achoi says it has possibilities and awards it 5/10 but he says if the punk section was removed it'd rise to 7/10!)
 - Litterbug - Who Am I?
Why do I like this band? The guitar sound is wretched, the vocals are horrible . . . yet there's something . . . something I can't quite define . . . bits of punk, Joy Division, Oasis and The Swell Maps all rolled into one decidedly curious mix. It doesn't quite match the excellence of their godspunk 1 tracks but it still makes the grade. 6/10
 - Litterbug - Looking Back Then
Well, after the above, this is not so good . . . musically, at least . . . but as with the previous number, the lyrics are actually very odd - without being abstract or pretentious. I like these lyrics; bizarre holiday and television references that I don't understand, probably because I don't have a TV. I'd still prefer a clearer production and the vocals to have been sung in a more definite pitch. 6/10 (Achoi gives these pieces 2/10 - I don't know what drugs he's on but they're doing him no good at all).
 - the taurus board - Green & Neon
Each time you release a godspunk CD, Achoi and I await the next instalment of the taurus board. This lot prove that all those nights and days spent during the 1990s at raves and in warehouses were not misspent youth after all but merely preparation for this - no, really they reveal there is still plenty of life in the old dance / techno dog yet. This track is a little too chill-out for me. I prefer my dance style more hardcore (drum'n'bass / jungle is my preferred genre). Still, it deserves 8/10. (Dave says he simply cannot comprehend what Achoi and I appreciate in this stuff. Bah - oldsters, what do they know? Achoi gives it 10/10, but then he'd give this lot 10/10 if they came round his house and blew fog horns into his ears at 4 in the morning).
 - Razor Dog - Gonna Catch Up
The bass playing is solid. That's it. I managed to say something positive about this horrible late 70s noise. 1/10
 - Razor Dog - This Love's Absurd
Not that hoary old riff yet again . . . this sounds so 1979! It's abysmal even though it's played very well. 1/10 (Note: there is far too much pub-punk rock on this installment of godspunk. Don't do it again. Achoi (true to form) gives these pieces 0/10. Dave reckons he'd have really liked these tracks had he heard them 20 years ago. Talk about damning with faint praise! He still likes them both, especially the second track).
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Walter & Frank
Not one of your best, Mr Batcow . . . strange tape of strange northern gents notwithstanding. 5/10 (Achoi likes this one, too - an 8/10 no less. Have you acquired a new fan or is he just a crawler?)
 - LDB - The Trial
Can this man do no wrong? I have the fortune to have heard all his rap numbers - all of them - the double album Mind Of A Postman is the most criminally neglected gangsta rap classic ever recorded this side of the Atlantic. Being primarily a writer of texts I can appreciate how he hammers his couplets into shape and forces rhymes out of virtually nowhere . . . but this one escaped my trawl of his works. Just as it begins to become a little repetitive, the music fades and this courtroom skit reveals why he is not a bad ass black rapper from the Bronx - then we're back into the music as he comes across with pure honesty, no clichés, no pretence, no fake gangsta rap image . . . this is that rare bird: a humorous rap that also contains a serious message to all poseurs everywhere. 9/10 because it's a little murky in sound quality, the only fault I can find in it. (Achoi only gives this 7/10 because he's a punk ass muthafukkin bitch brained ho').
 - The Reverends - World Of Cricket
Marvellous title . . . interesting structure . . . but the 'production' is like some Apostles crap from 1983, which is a pity because this piece is better than most of what The Apostles ever did - although it needs a more forceful or interesting vocalist. It then fails to develop any of the initially interesting ideas - to my satisfaction at least. It's one of the more adventurous pieces on this CD and would be improved with more work done on it. 6/10
 - UNIT - Make Believe
I didn't realise just how commercial Garlens' stuff was until I hear it in this new context. We do sound professional and even quite slick here - nice pop song but, I don't know . . . it's still old fashioned somehow. Is that Garlens' fault? Then again, does it matter anyway? I still like this track. 7/10 (Achoi gives this 9/10 but then he likes Garlen and tends to be too generous in his opinions of the lads' musical abilities / limitations. Still, this is one of his more inspired works. Dave and U-J can't listen to anything Garlen wrote - they hate it all with a vengeance!)
 - UNIT - Intlatol In Tiamacazquime
Ha! How to ensure LDB appears twice on godspunk 3. No, I can see why U-J remixed this as a purely instrumental track with the bass and guitars louder. In being kind to Lawrence I made the music backing indistinct and murky so it loses 80% of its power and majesty. As a result, this now sounds as if Lawrence is reciting this tract in a big empty hall while some band is playing in the next room. 5/10
 - UNIT - In A Chinese Youth Club
Poor Garlen - tries hard to sing a vocal designed for me originally. Still, with the third person tense, the text has more intense power somehow, less self pity than the version on which I sing. Musically this is the most adventurous of the quartet we sent you and it shows. 8/10
 - UNIT - Breaking Barriers
Well, despite my weak singing, this remains my own favourite despite being over 10 years old (mainly). The winning combination of U-J on two flutes, Achoi on vibraphone (and drums, obviously) and stealing the bass and guitar riff from Incandescence for the middle section (as I'm sure you noticed - such conservationists, we always recycle riffs and melodies) has definitely breathed new life into this old standard. Pity about my voice, though. 9/10
 - Kate Fear & Nigel Joseph - Little Bird
A bit of a mess, this, but an interesting mess nonetheless with some intriguing texts. Unfortunately, once it starts, it stays in that groove and goes nowhere - the vocals have been recorded with way too much bass and no treble so after 30 seconds the whole thing becomes little more than a drone. Like The Reverends, this track has possibilities and potential that aren't realised. 4/10
 - The Time Flies - Mr Jeffrey Martin Lichtmann
The pun in the band name is cool . . . the music less so, although the keyboard bass groove is nice. The trouble with this stuff is it's too well mannered, too polite - techno should be in your face and kick ass - this is too ambient for my taste although it's still a damn sight better than many of the tracks on this CD but then I would say that, wouldn't I? Mr Hippodrome Ibiza here with his friggin' Chemical Brothers and Andy C collection! 7/10 (Achoi also gives this 7/10 although unlike me, he's only heard all these tracks once so far, whereas I'm hearing them the second time around (and it was a bloody pain enduring Elvis and Razor Dog again I can tell you).
 - The Time Flies - Spiritual Fornication
Now we diverge - this track reminds me of Out Of Afrika by the Chemical Brothers but without the kicking hardcore references which make that track so good. Again, this has potential - with a different mix and some extra samples, this could be a dance-floor killa. That's it, I've just cracked it: both these tracks sound unfinished. Still, on the strength of these two tracks, I really hope they are included in godspunk 4. 7/10 (Achoi gives this 9/10 although I can't see why this is so much better than Mr JML).
 - Howl In The Typewriter - Personal Ads
A howl . . . followed by a minute of silence . . . followed by a rant that, if read in a Scottish accent, could so easily be The Apostles circa 1989 a couple of weeks prior to my departure when I loathed and despised everything and everyone, including myself. What a way to end a CD! For that reason alone - 10/10! (Even Achoi gives it 9/10, mainly because he finds it really amusing - as if you're telling everyone to 'fuck off' after they've had the decency to purchase and listen to the CD! I know your ire is directed at those grim personal advertisements such as one finds in Private Eye but I prefer to imagine you're directing your comments at your record buying public.
In conclusion, I have to say this is the godspunk edition I enjoy least, primarily because there is a surfeit of pub punk gear, early 80s sounding cassette pet type tracks, not enough avant garderie and only 1 LDB track. Achoi says the Howl In The Typewriter contributions were far more adventurous and interesting on volume 2 although we both agree that Affairs Of The Heart is an absolute classic. He asked me to play it again and he's revised his initial score to 9/10 - he says the brief punk interludes spoil it or it'd be 10/10. Fair enough.

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), May 2004
 - Gays In The Military - The Aids Team
You fuckin' what, John? Atonal faggot road rock - this I do not like. The lyrics do not sense make and the music, while unusual and nicely recorded (especially the bass guitar) is not really my cup of tea .. . all this handkerchief stuff and nonsense . . . my God, this is why I have being queer! Bizarre structure - horrible vocals. (4/10)
 - Las Vegas Mermaids - Rich Man's Ball Bag
Now this is more like it (vocals) although the music is a bit of a dirge, isn't it? Excellent lyrics, though. Pity the music is so grim. Superb ending! (7/10)
 - Las Vegas Mermaids - Weevils
The music here is much better - techno with style and more marvellous vocals. The keyboard sounds are much more interesting and effective here. Disturbing lyrics to create a most effective atmosphere. Real techno done properly! (9/10)
 - Pissed Off - Rivers Of Baby Lon
My God, this is excellent too! Where do you find all this stuff? Sampled machine guns in time with the drum machine, too. Industrial techno - superb tape montage. It's perhaps a little polemical but it's none the worse for that . . . a little too long but. (8/10)
 - Higgins++ - Silent Weapons For A Quiet War
Polemic? This virtually preaches at me, I mean, lighten up! No, I shouldn't complain because 99% of pop music these days says nothing and supports the corporate mind numbing machine . . . but (groan) this goes on and on until it irritates me but then I know all this . . . I'd like to play this to the HCYC lads though. (5/10)
 - Higgins++ - A New England
By the way, their page in the booklet is brilliant! Techno punk rock? Sounds like a track from Bullshit Detector that failed to make the grade, no doubt because there's no swearing, you can hear the words and it's quite tuneful. I still don't like it, even though I sympathise with his sentiments and stance. (4/10)
 - RooHmania - Shulavon7
What's he/they done to your song, Stan? I prefer your version although this is quite interesting - punk rock segues into techno segues into New Order: very clever! Howl in the Blue Monday already. Yes, this is very smart indeed. (8/10)
 - RooHmania - J.I.G.
Fairport Connection and Steeleye Span played by New Order circa 1991. This lot are beyond doubt the most technically accomplished artists on the CD by far. It's nice to hear a purely instrumental work, too. (9/10)
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Llamas
I remember this from that CD-R you sent to me. Pity the production is a little, er, bass and middle biased. Nice tune, strange words - actually, 'nice tune, strange words' applies to many of your pieces. (6/10)
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Here Comes The Butterfly
You must now be called a MOST ANNOYING CUNT for writing the best thing I've heard you create with the best lyrics I've ever heard you sing . . . and then split / shred it to pieces, shortened shards of 10 second fragments oh BLOODY HELL buggering bollocks, why did you have to do this? The concept is fine, innovative, but not on this number, Stan, not on what is beyond doubt the best thing you've ever written! Of course, that's a silly statement - only you know what is the best thing you've ever written, but . . . all the same. If you release godspunk volume three, can you put the unabridged version on it so we can all enjoy and savour it? The lyrics are simply superb - brilliant - excellent. What more can I say? (10/10)
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Jesus, Buddha and Allah
As for this - it's a bloody racket! (1/10)
 - Pinkeye - The One
. . . er . . . well . . . (2/10)
 - Pinkeye - Outside
. . . (sigh) . . . frankly . . . maybe I'm more conservative than I'd like to admit but . . . (0/10)
 - Pinkeye - The Swan
. . . what's the matter with Capital Letters anyway? This is the best one yet . . . (7/10)
 - Pinkeye - Lucy Bird
. . . mutated folk meets Syd Barret lyrics in hell . . . (1/10)
 - Pinkeye - Field1
. . . and talking of hell . . . (1/10)
 - Pinkeye - Field2
. . . despite being mercifully short . . . (1/10)
 - the taurus board - King Of Denial
More lower case weirdness - no, this lot deserve to be reprised from volume one. I'm glad to see they made it here along with us, you and LDB. Repetitive, yes, but still there's that renegade non-commercial techno sound that would do well in he clubs. My problem is: it's too long. Of course, it's not designed for one man alone in a bedroom in a chair. It's a dance groove for a club but with a subversive tape insert in the middle. This lot fascinate me. Thinking man's techno! (7/10)
 - LDB - Last Days Of Rome
Gangsta rap in a midlands accent - I'm convinced even if I didn't know LDB I'd still think his stuff was superb. What anger, vitriol and invective + intelligence in a 5½ minute slice of bitter fulmination against everything I detest in UK post modernism. There's more aggression in this than all that 1980's anarcho punk combined. This kicks serious ass! My bloody hell, this stuff really is as hard as hell! (9/10)
 - LDB - Stadium R&B
Musically this is more advanced than a dozen Three Six Mafia clones. Why does this work so well? LDB has taken his experience of industrial music and pop groups, married that to American hip-hop and gangsta rap; result: ART, mate, pure art. No bullshit, no fuss, no mess just pure impact. Excellent singalong chorus, too! (9/10)
 - LDB - Warrior
This should be done by Manowar or Celtic Frost - but not LDB! A rare example of one of his tirades that doesn't quite make the grade. (3/10)
 - UNIT - Bright And Beautiful
Bizarre: mutant punk rock. This still sounds as if it was recorded in 1986. (6/10)
 - UNIT - Made In Hong Kong
Oh dear . . . I mean, it's all very enjoyable but I really don't have the right kind of voice for this kind of stuff and this music sounds so old fashioned now, especially in the context of this CD's contents. (5/10)
 - UNIT - Out To Lunch
Well, it's amusing but so 1980's! That guitar sounds horrible, too. (6/10)
 - UNIT - The Letter
At last: a track that sounds as if it should be on this compilation and also sounds as if it was recorded recently! Most disturbing - it brings tears of rage to my eyes even now. (10/10)
 - UNIT- Two Weeks In Malaysia
I'm glad you decided to include this after all. Actually we should have just sent you The Letter and this wonderful little pop song. (8/10 - rotten guitar sound again!)

 - Review by Andy Martin (UNIT), March 2003
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Jesus! (9/10)
The 5'40" extended disco remix inna big up The Man anthem . . . it's worth being a God Botherer jus so you can singalongatypewriter to this marvellous piece. I would give it 10/10 if it ended at about 5'00" when the instruments fade out leaving the voices - that was the ideal place to leave it.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Mirrorshades (6/10)
The 0'42" edit . . . God nose. I'd give this 7 or 8 out of 10 if it was 2'00" but it's too damn short. A song or instrumental should be like a boy's shorts or girl's dress: brief enough to be interesting and long enough to cover the subject.
 - Howl in the Typewriter - The Body (8/10)
The Nocturnal Emmissions meets Tubeway Army in Throbbing Gristle's recording studio. This is one of the better works on the CD . . . reminds me of 'Donor', a track we did in 1990 although you [Howl] use rhythms more effectively. Who said industrial noise can't be commercial? Well done, sir!
 - Howl in the Typewriter - Love Camp No 7 (7/10)
Well, I'm glad there are four works by HitT because this stuff is superb, really. It is also nice to have a gentle, melodic (but still challenging) contrast to LDB and UNIT. There's something almost Abba about the use of keyboards and that's high praise indeed. The words / voice-over part is not so interesting as Jesus! and The Body.
 - Hebetation - 10/10/02 (5/10)
If Iannis Xenakis had been a pop musician instead of an avant garde composer . . . Dome meets the Door and the Window . . . I'm glad people still do soundscapes like this but it's still not my kind of music. Note: they have good control of their instruments and effects, especially in a live context . . . this sort of stuff can so easily dissolve into chaos but this is cleverly structured. I wish I liked this . . . but I don't!
 - the taurus board - Ripple Effect (4/10)
Techno marries funk in the church of TOPY. If this was only 2 minutes long or if it changed key and / or rhythm, it would be pretty gear . . . as it stands, it goes on far too long without doing much else. Pity because it's cool and funky and has potential. LDB should do a mean rap over some of this!
 - Litterbug - Codeine (6/10)
It's a bit bloody morbid, ain't it, guv? Still, it shows you what can be done with conventional instruments in a non-conventional manner that is still interesting. Not mad on those high vocals but they do suit the words.
 - Litterbug - Delmario (10/10)
Fuck me sideways, this is brilliant! These people have put together that chunky Joy Division / New Order instrumental that we've tried to do in the past and never managed. Cunts! Seriously, on the strength of these two songs, I'd like to hear more. It makes a change to hear a band who do instrumentals. (I wish we'd done one, now - I grow sick of the sound of my own reedy, tinny vocals).
 - Stream Angel - Day That Will (3/10)
. . . and this is only an excerpt? Christ, this is really irritating. Pity because I know this chap and he's always so generous, intelligent and perceptive about our work . . . but I can't cope with this at all. Sorry, Stream!
 - LDB - Death Wish (10/10)
Now the heavy stuff - and by hell, this is mean motherfucking murderation - I know who this is about but that's irrelevant. What matters is that this proves White Men Can Rap! This kicks arse and knocks So Solid Crew into the middle of last month. I can't fault this.
 - LDB - Never Go Back Again (9/10)
Yes, I know Puff Daddy can write gentle, powerful, perceptive lyrics but this shows how it really should be done. I've heard this before but I couldn't have paid attention the first time because I thought it was OK then but now - my God this is so nostalgic, sad and yet never morbid. Some of these words are so nice (in the best sense of that maligned word) and generous. Rap doesn't just have to be about violence and revenge.
 - LDB - Ode To Some People . . . (8/10)
Now we're back in more familiar territory. Note: LDB and UNIT independently choose to attack trendy commercial underground scne types / fanzines. Go with the flow, these words are so powerful that I can ignore the occasionally repetitive music. This is no nonsense, no pretence, no fuss pure honesty that cuts through all the bullshit.
 - LDB - Faction Paradox (10/10)
Up tempo sci-fi influenced fun complete with that most potent of mixes: anger combined with humour. It usually works and it certainly does here. Note: all these instruments are played, not sampled. This is a rollercoaster of revenge, a delightful frolic that completes the most enjoyable, entertaining and effective quartet of works on the CD.
 - UNIT - Incandescence (8/10)
Adapted from a Tony Hancock episode that ridicules avant garde art movements, this is an affectionate parody set to simple yet powerful music only slightly spoiled by the rather inept singing. The structure is excellent with the unaccompanied vocal central section framed by heavy rock outer segments. With a decent singer this would be 10/10 easily.
 - UNIT - God Of Grumblers (8/10)
This starts promising . . . but devolves into a laborious funk rap with the vocals too low in the mix. A bird's voice would sound better on this. The funk chorus is good but 5 minutes of lead guitar and bass guitar twittering becomes very tedious after a while. The drumming is actually very good - which is most unusual for our band! Unusual lyrics which accounts for the higher score.
 - UNIT - God Of Nothing (2/10)
Jesus Christ, this is bloody awful. The words aren't bad (if a little sloganeering) but it just goes on and on - nowhere. The bass playing is good but it has no real melody to play worth remembering. It deserves 2 for the words (some of them) but that's all.
 - UNIT - A Head Wound And A Fracture (8/10)
This is more like it: punk rap! It's just a little on the long side but otherwise this is white hot rage with articulate anger matched to occasionally amusing rhymes. The music is a little basic but it matches the subject matter. The revenge against racial abuse and homophobic bigotry does need this quietly simmering rage rather than bawling screams so I'm glad I resisted the temptation to shout the words. In retrospect I wish I hadn't resorted to swearing - it sounds immature. I'm not why it works when LDB does it but when I do it, I do sound a bit like a boy who's older brother has just broken his Playstation 2 . . .which would be a perfectly justifiable reason for breaking out into military language, of course.

 - Review by Idwal Fisher #4, January 2004
Howl in the Typewriter kicks things off in fine style with a rasping steam driven uber pop rant that shouts 'Jesus in your heart, revolution in your life'. I will pay good money to whoever it is that runs that rancid chart show 'Top Of The Pops' (my hands feel dirty typing out the words) to get Stan on there in his day-glo DMs' and Deirdre Barlow specs to see him betting his little heart out to this poppy little number.
LDB gives us four tracks of what appears to be (what I think is commonly know these days as) rapping. A strange one this. LDB raps with a rolling non-descript English accent over pre-programmed synth beats and exotic wash. LDB must be nearly forty - he name checks old episodes of Dr Who (in black and white) and people who fawn over their Throbbing Gristle posters. He has a go at Adverse Effect for giving him a bad review (which states that he's a frustrated Eminem or somesuch). Which is easy to see. But if you don't like the genre then your not going to like these four tracks anyway. I think I do like them, mainly because LDB has a great deadpan delivery and he sings, sorry raps, about things I can relate to. Imagine a slouch talking (rapping, sorry) over a Human League instrumental . . . maybe.
With the taurus board, if I was 20 years younger I'd probably be reaching for my pill box by now. The one that contains my E and whizz. Mindst you, if I was 20 years younger I would probably be doing that on a regular basis anyhoo. Electro bleep pulse stammer the likes of which fills the heads of those nodding dogs you see on buses in baseball caps. Put it in a bucket and drown it nurse.
Litterbug is a proper band with real guitars and chords and stuff and its not a million miles away from the Velvets. First track is called Codeine and the singer sings Codeine in a drawly Gen P.O. Box type style over a twin guitar strum and psych thrash. Next up is a track called Delmario which is a Jesus and Mary Chain / Cramps instrumental.
Howl In The Typewriter's The Body kicks off with a voice telling us how 16th and 17th century celebs would pay good money to watch anatomy lessons with background music. A see saw stomp pans either speaker and the mans 'fascination with the interior' rolls round and round.
I'll stick my neck out here and say that Stream Angel's is probably the best track of the lot. Day That Will is but an excerpt. A sample amalgam of shear snips. Short wave voices oscillate out of the ether. A woman says 'once I heard the sounds of the wind and the tree'. Snip snip go the shears. Sine waves come and go, flitting around the insides of a B Movie soundtrack. Reverberation. Give me reverberation or give me death. Reverse tape manipulation. Its Dada, its Russolo. Out of the melee appears a crystal clear voice intoning a POEM.
Howl in the Typewriter round things up with a 90 second instrumental sample hound and the end is nigh.

   Ah, godspunk- the one and only uber-eclectic comp series with the kooky clown covers and the booklets that look like an even more deranged version of the 'Local List' rag that drops through my letterbox every few weeks! I was seriously late to the party, only becoming aware of godspunk circa 2016 when I set up a trade with Phil Smith (The Haddenham One) and ended up with a couple of volumes. Thankfully, I've made up for lost time since then, and now - having obtained every volume and realising just what a formidable collection it is - I felt it was only right to try and review each disc, artist by artist style-e . . . so here we go . . .

 - godspunk volume one
   Howl in the Typewriter - pStan gets the long, strange godspunk trip underway with the classic "Jesus!" - one of THE most insanely catchy (synth) pop songs of all time . . . guaranteed to stick in yer mind after one play, or yer money back! His other three pieces are also synthesizer-based and are redolent of late '70s / early '80s German electronic music - "The Body", which is peppered with voice samples re: anatomy, surgery, martyrdom etc., is particularly impressive and is easily one of my favourite overall Howl pieces, while "Love Camp #7" is an excellent miniature in the style of Sky-era Asmus Tietchens, ending with samples from the notorious Nazisploitation / Video Nasty film of the same name.
   LDB - as with many godspunk contributors, Lawrence Burton is someone whose musical career stretches back to the early '80s, during which time he ran a cottage industry label, issued numerous solo cassettes and was involved with experimental electronic groups such as Konstruktivists. Roll on the early 2000s, however, and he was making lo-fi hip hop stuff as LDB, an EP's worth of which he donated to this very godspunk disc. Highlights include "Death Wish" - a downtempo, dread-filled tune - and the poignant "Never Go Back Again", in which he raps candidly about his school days over atmospheric electric guitar and mellow beats.
   Hebetation - this project - featuring another underground veteran in Stewart Walden, who has also played as part of the legendary A Band, amongst others - doesn't appear to have released much of anything besides the 6 minute chunk from a late-2002 gig featured on this CD. The stop-start performance begins with haunted funhouse ambience, followed by stomping bass loops and whimsical slide-whistle whoopings. After a short break, things threaten to zoom off into hyperspeed motorik and / or MC5 territory, before another odd bass figure enters, everything eventually dissolving into freeform thunder. Frustratingly, the excerpt ends just as a sax enters the fray . . . denied! I love this kind of post-Godz, "stick-everything-in-the-pot" improvisational lunacy - while this isn't the most mind-meltingly amazing example of this kind of music out there, it's still a keeper!
   the taurus board - another one-off in the "godspunk volume one" soundscape is "Ripple Effect" - a kinda funky techno workout, featuring distant telephone voices and persistent, mysterious alien interference tones. I imagine this would sound particularly good whilst driving through gloomy, deserted urban environments at 2 a.m. - a cliche thing to say, perhaps, but as I'm sure you'll come to realise, I'm full o' the bloody things . . .
   Litterbug - we get a pair of tracks from this sandgrown combo - "Codeine" comes on like a phased, drugged-out mutation of "Teenage Kicks" - cool, but not massively eventful - while "Delmario" is a pleasingly sloppy garage rock instrumental.
   Stream Angel - this chap also played with improv nutters the A Band back in the day. His stuff as Stream Angel, however, is of the carefully constructed sound collage variety - his godspunk contribution, "Day That Will", is a beautifully sinister combination of looping sax notes, the sound of a man exhaling, ghostly classical piano and assorted samples from old films and TV, generously garnished with wheedlings and whistlings from a synthesizer or two. Fantastic!
   UNIT - along with Howl in the Typewriter, the eclectic and deeply eccentric post-Apostles / Academy 23 combo UNIT have appeared on every single volume of godspunk to date - an impressive feat! Their first batch of tracks consists of two mean-arsed, distorted rockers and two loose funk-punk jammers, one of which - "God of Nothing" - features both a rapped vocal and pan pipes(!) Together with their stuff on the second and fifth godspunks, this is one of my absolute favourite UNIT sets.
   Conclusion - not much else to say, other than the series started with an absolute corker! 'Tis a glorious blend of sounds and styles, with nary a weak track on offer. Quite possibly my favourite volume of all! 

 - godspunk volume two
   Howl in the Typewriter - pStan's "Llamas" is a fine opener - a bass-heavy synth pop number, with a touch of post-punk iciness at its core . . . imagine a mash-up of "The Top"-era Cure and "Pulse of the Rooster" and you're getting close . . . perversely split up into 8 bite-size chunks and scattered throughout the tracklisting, "Here Comes the Butterfly" is a raga rock-cum-industrial ditty, replete with uber-compressed guitar for that tasty mid-'60s Byrds-ian 12-string sound . . . with utterly oblique lyrics courtesy of Stewart Walden, the hyper fuzz punker "Jesus, Buddha & Allah" closes the show - love pStan's high / low double-tracked vocals on this . . . and dig that 'locked groove' at the end, which never fails to make me think that my CD player's finally bitten the dust!
   LDB - "Last Days of Rome" and "Stadium R 'n' B" sport much clearer vocals and crisper instrumentation than his stuff on the previous volume. Compositionally, they're perhaps a bit more developed too. "Last Days . . ." is notable for being quite possibly the only song in existence that namechecks both Boyd Rice and Boyzone! "Warrior" is the odd one out of all LDB's godspunk tunes, being a rockin' cover of a hyper obscure song by one Steve Ainsworth. Vocally, LDB sounds almost like a youthful Tony Wakeford on certain lines, while the crunchy guitars threaten to break into "Pictures of Matchstick Men" at any second!
   Gays in the Military - the surprisingly-hard-to-Google Gays in the Military are / were (from what I can gather) a band from the US. Their lone godspunk contribution is entitled "When We Were the AIDS Team" - a pretty decent piece, consisting of extended sections of lewd 'n' crude gay-themed film samples broken up by spastic bursts of acid-fried noise rock, in a kind of "Locust Abortion Technician"/ "Psychiatric Underground"-lite style-e.
   Las Vegas Mermaids - this comedy synth pop trio ended up contributing to several further 'spunks, with extremely variable results, it has to be said. Thankfully, "Rich Mans BallBag" and "Weevils" are among their more bearable tracks. I can't say either one makes me laugh, but musically at least they're pretty alright, if a touch melodically undernourished.
   Pinkeye - the first of many uber-mysterious, godspunk-only projects who, after contributing, seemingly vanished into thin air! Pinkeye's suite of bizarre electronics, lo-fi campfire femme folk, atonal synth squibs, dictaphone field recording snippets and warped African drumming is . . . intriguing, I'll give it that! Feck knows what it's all supposed to represent, but I kinda like it all the same!
   Pissed Off - a Ceramic Hobs / Smell & Quim-related project, who give that there 1978 Boney M (s)hit a thorough deconstruction, littering the techno-infused soundscape with political media samples and the grim sound of gunfire.
   Higgins++ - this chap, best known as leader of Blackpool punks Erase Today during the '90s, was also involved in godspunk-ers Litterbug for a time. "Silent Weapons for a Quiet War" is a "Fitter Happier"-style checklist of nightmarish politicised imagery, spoken over a minimal backdrop of bass and echoed footsteps, while "A New England" is a chuggy, poppy punk tune - not my preferred flavour of punk at all, I'm afraid.
   RooHmania - the late RooH made his godspunk debut with what can only be described as a 'classic rock megamix' of Howl's "Jesus!", laying pStan's joyous vocal on top of a rather clever Jive Bunny-esque 'name that tune!' backing track. Meanwhile, "J.I.G." does what it says on the tin - 'tis a jolly "Liege & Lief"-styled acoustic ditty, backed by a drum machine and assorted overdriven noises.
   UNIT - this ultra-snappy, strangely satisfying set covers raging hardcore shoutiness, menacing spoken word, oddly poignant poppiness, a re-imagining of "All Things Bright and Beautiful" AND a lunch break for a spot of crispy aromatic duck (in orange sauce) in, ooh, all of about 30 seconds or something. I like!
   the taurus board - ttb give us "King of Denial" - a 'tribute' to ol' George 'Dubya' Bush, whose dulcet tones make a brief cameo in amidst the '90s-esque techno funkery.
   Conclusion - in contrast to the 3 to 6 minute track-dominated " . . . volume one", this was the first of several 'bitty', snippet-populated godspunks, so I suppose if you're not in the mood, you may find yourself getting a touch frustrated at some of the 'fart-and-you'll-miss-it' antics. Keep yer wits about you, though, and you'll no doubt realise that there's enough quality on display here to make it worthy of a hard-earned fiver!

 - godspunk volume three
   Howl in the Typewriter - with 60 odd minutes of the playing time taken up by other artists, there's not much pStan to be found on this volume at all. His main contribution is opener "Affairs of the Heart" - a very detailed and creative hip hop track. Later on we get a brief collage of old geezer voices and perky beats entitled "Walter & Frank", and "Personal Ads" - a venomous rant tucked away at the very end of the CD.
   The 3 Ages of Elvis - this power trio's contributions are mostly of a bluesy garage / psychobilly persuasion - of their two tracks, I prefer "Buttercup", which contains a fairly mellow, melodic section in amidst the rockin' and ravin'.
   Pissed Off - the mysterious Pissed Off made another godspunk cameo with "Asylum" - a 2 minute Crass cover version, consisting of a girl with a posh voice laying into Jesus good 'n' proper over a strange, drum and bass-y electronic backdrop. I'm unfamiliar with the original (to be honest, save for hearing Steve Ignorant do his thing on "Dogs Blood Rising" by Current 93, I'm unfamiliar with Crass, full stop!), so I've no idea how PO's take stacks up (yeah, yeah - I know I could just go on Youtube or whatever to hear it, but that would be too easy!), but whatever the case, I quite enjoy this. EDIT - pStan informed me that the actual Crass piece is used as the basis of the track, making it more of a remix . . . *still steadfastly resisting temptation to go on Youtube* . . .
   Norman - seemingly even more of a mystery than Pissed Off - according to Discogs at least, "Paranoia" is the only thing guitar slinger Norman has ever done! 'Tis a joyous 6 minute rip-ride through a whole load of styles - quirky pop rock, techno with harsh, industrialised sampled voices, neo-'80s rock, synth funk, then a stretch of raunchy, metallic blues to finish. Weirdly enough, a fair portion of this piece seems to foreshadow the sort of retro aesthetic that James Ferraro made a tidy living out of a few years down the line! Yeah, stick a bunch of tape murk on this and you could probably pass it off as a lost outtake from "Night Dolls With Hairspray" or something!
   Litterbug - you may remember these Blackpool chaps from the first godspunk. Still operating in the same kind of sonic zone as they were in '03, here Litterbug offer up two fuzzy, lo-fi, mid-paced punk tunes, of which I prefer the melodic "Who Am I?" over the slightly dull "Looking Back".
   the taurus board - whilst their name appears on the front cover, for some reason ttb are missing from the tracklisting and don't have a dedicated page inside the booklet, though the Pumf site informs me that this nice slice of Black Dog-esque techno with subtle sampled voices is entitled "Green and Neon". EDIT - the track *is* listed, just on the inside spine of the tray card - thanks, pStan!
   Razor Dog - ah, Razor Dog! Back in 2003 I played in a band called Kraul - a few months into my tenure, our singer Luke put on an all-dayer at a venue just off Central Drive in Blackpool (I think it was called The Union then) and booked these guys to play. I remember their then-drummer dropped by our practise room once in the run up to the fest and we had a jam - he was a very nice guy. He told me I played a bit like Frank Zappa, which made me like him even more! Anyway, their material here sounds much the same as the sort of stuff they played on that day in spring 2003 - catchy, no-nonsense psychobilly. It's not my usual bag, though the small dose they provide here is pretty cool, especially "This Love's Absurd".
   LDB - his guest vocal on UNIT's "Intlatol in Tlamacazquime" aside, "The Trial" was LDB's last godspunk contribution. After mixing things up a touch on ". . . volume two", this one feels a bit more like the dusty, deadpan material he contributed to ". . . volume one". To be honest, as with psychobilly, hip hop isn't something I normally listen to, but I like LDB's spin on the genre all the same - "The Trial" is no exception.
   The Reverends - for me, the glorious, all-too-brief post-punk nugget "World of Cricket" is undoubtedly the real highlight of this CD! The first part sounds like Swell Maps meets Syd Barrett, before things turn melancholy for an instrumental coda, which is based around a gorgeous, stately violin line. The lo-fi, homespun sound of this track makes it genuinely hard to discern whether it's a modern recording, or some unearthed "Messthetics"-esque gem! I'd love to hear a whole album by these guys, but - as far as I can see - they never released one.
   UNIT - out of everybody on ". . . volume three", Andy Martin and company provide us with the most material - a whopping 4 tracks / 12 minutes! The highlight of their slot is most certainly the classic "In a Chinese Youth Club", though the proggy "Breaking Barriers" runs it close.
   Kate Fear and Nigel Joseph - this duo give us a little something entitled "Little Bird" - a track of scuzzy, lo-fi synth abuse running alongside a spoken word tape loop. While it's far too short for my liking and doesn't really develop much over its playing time, this is still my kind of thing!
   The Time Flies! - a further 10 minutes of '90s-style techno, this time from The Time Flies!, a duo featuring a chap named John Tree, who would go on to feature on several more godspunks. Overall, as with the taurus board's tune, I'm reminded mostly of The Black Dog circa "Spanners", especially on "Mr. Jeffrey Martin Lichtmann", which is the more ambient sounding piece of the two. Both contributions feature "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts"-esque sampled voices, which add pleasing amounts of atmosphere to proceedings!
   Conclusion - as others have noted before me, there's a lot of punky rock type stuff on ". . . volume three" - as a result, it does feel like one of the least eclectic (and thus one of the least truly 'godspunk-y') collections in the series. Taken on its own merits though, it's still highly enjoyable, and whatever - that self-satisfied jester clown on the front is one of my faves! Just look at him! 

 - godspunk volume four
   Howl in the Typewriter - pStan kicks off ". . . volume four" with "Girl" - a sweet, melancholic tune, with shades of '90s indie and shoegaze. Elsewhere we get a couple of experimental electronic pieces, including a sequel to "Walter & Frank" from the previous volume, plus closer "The Payoff", which is musically bright and upbeat, but lyrically dark.
   Yximalloo - Naofumi Ishimaru's Yximalloo project is undoubtedly one of Japanese underground music's hidden gems. His extensive back catalogue is literally an embarrassment of riches, yet for some reason he is NEVER mentioned alongside the likes of Merzbow, Keiji Haino, Masonna, Makoto Kawabata etc., despite being every bit as good as them - truly baffling! Thankfully, pStan has championed Nao since the early days - he released a cassette / CD-R collection of assorted highlights via Pumf, as well as including a pair of collaborative tracks on this here godspunk. "Peter's Back (1988)" is a wonderfully fuzzy DIY boogie, sounding not unlike early Youngs / Wickham-Smith jamming with the Brast Burn / Karuna Khyal collective. "Peter is Back (2005)" is - as you may have guessed - the same song tackled 17 years later - with its warped voices and alienatingly stilted atmosphere, for me it's even stranger than the '80s take!
   the taurus board - again, ttb's cool, '90s-indebted acid / techno material reminds me of The Black Dog or early Aphex Twin (as you've probably guessed, I don't listen to much of that stuff, so please excuse my extrememly limited points of reference!)
   Pilzin Sox - this is another John Tree alias. "Alice Floats Away" (as in 'Alice in Wonderland') is a rather nice piece of mellow, modal electronica, with warm synth pads, Spanish guitar, dreamy female vocals and an overall feeling of gentle trippiness, bringing to mind both Ashra and The Durutti Column.
   The Haddenham One - this is the project of one Phil Smith - the man who ended up initiating my godspunk fascination! His first piece - a homage to the 'legendary' Blackpool road they call Dickson - is a playful and entertaining slice of plunderphonic techno, with novelty melodies crashing into throbbing beats and noisy wah guitar. "In a Nutshell", on the other hand, is a (mercifully brief) 1000bpm mutilation of the title song from "The Sound of Music", which makes me feel like my head is about to explode!
   Litterbug - compared to their previous contributions, this group certainly cleaned up their act by the time of ". . . volume four" - both of their tracks sporting real drums instead of a drum machine, a female vocalist duetting with their regular male singer and a clearer, more polished studio sound. Don't get me wrong, this is competently performed material, but musically it does nothing for me - I heard far too much of this unremarkable, derivative alternative / punk stuff back in the early '00s . . . y'know, 4th on the bill at Copper Face Jacks on a windy Sunday afternoon in February . . . that kinda thing . . .
   RooHmania - "Nine and a Half Minutes" is a psychedelic dance rock epic, based around bluesy wah guitar and erotic female vocal samples. Slightly generic riffing aside, this is a nice track, which takes you on quite the colourful, sexadelic trip!
   Stream Angel - save for being sampled by the taurus board for a track on ". . . volume six", this was Stream Angel's second and final godspunk appearance, which is a shame, as I enjoy his stuff very much. This excerpt from a piece entitled "Some Strange Fabric" features heavenly ambient synths, pipe organ, pitched down spoken voices, mysterious percussive sounds etc., all adding up to a charming, '80s cassette underground sort of vibe.
   Lenin's Virulent Muscle - a.k.a. The Las Vegas Mermaids. Some of their better material here - "Mummy" is a rather cute synth pop song, while "Plastic Bags" is more forceful, reminding me of that hit song by Goldfrapp . . . y'know, *that* one. The group's female vocalist gives an impressive performance on the latter, belting it out like Grace Slick. Totally not bad!
   UNIT - the UNIT squad offer up a rather jazzy set for this volume - after a piss-takey intro, we get a couple of vibraphone-based instrumentals (in 7 and 5 time, respectively), a very brief post-punk thing with shouty German vocals, then a wonderfully raw take on Sun Ra's "Rocket No.9" to finish - good stuff!
   Conclusion - after the rock-centric third volume, "godspunk volume four" certainly got things back on track re: the unpredictable eclecticism that the series is best known for. Overall, this is a pretty damned enjoyable one, with a whole host of delightful tracks!

 - godspunk volume five
   Howl in the Typewriter - "The Last Crumb" starts 2007's godspunk on a calm, psych folk-ish note, with crisp acoustic strumming and atmospheric e-bowed electric. Fans of Julian Cope's "Fried" album should check this one out! At the other end of the spectrum is "Wound". Not credited to anyone on the actual release, but revealed to be a Howl track with the publication of a video in April 2019, this is pStan at his most unhinged - 4 minutes of searing, mid-range power electronics, coming off like a less frenetic take on Whitehouse circa "Cruise" / "Bird Seed" etc. - fantastic! Elsewhere we get the too-bizarre-for-words "I Seen Man (Hanging Door)", a trio of light-hearted plunderphonic pop mash-ups and a multi-sectioned acid / rave mini-epic called "Bus Driver" to finish.
   Evil Jack McDeath / The Charles Napiers / Big Ron Turner / Mrs Edna Watley - these projects all feature a chap called Dan Whaley, who has been active in various garage / psych / surf bands since the mid-'80s, one of whom - The Charles Napiers - appear here, providing a tantalising morsel of freeform spaghetti western-ised rock. The other tracks are all solo affairs - a noise-riddled harmonium drone, a snatch of Middle Eastern-flavoured acoustic picking and an experiment with slowed down / reversed tape, respectively. All three of these are right up my musical alley, so it's a shame that none lasts beyond 40 seconds . . . then again, a lot of the good things in life are over with quickly . . . err, or so I'm told!
   Bartles - this chap's musical endeavours stretch back further than any other godspunk contributor to date - to the 1960s, apparently! His first song here, "Iran & Iraq", is a scathing, pun-tastic Beefheart / Waits-ian rap over a backing of drums and dreamy, bluesy fretless bass. "Pumpkin Dump" is more experimental and psychedelic, with Bartles' multi-tracked voice echoing dark, nightmarish tales of war on top of another low 'n' slow backing. Excellent!
   The Haddenham One - for number five, Phil Smith remixed a couple of tracks by his fave band, Ceramic Hobs. "Rave 'Un" (a.k.a. "Raven") is a brief, noisy techno assault under a demented Iggy-esque vocal, while "Amateur Dub (Learner Bus Driver Mix)" is (presumably) "Amateur Cops" given the drawn-out, echo 'n' melodica treatment. I don't own the former track in its original guise and don't have the latter to hand at the time of typing, so can't compare them with the remixes, but taken on their own merits, they're pretty cool.
   John Tree - "Night of the Sambadrummer (Night Bus to RooHmania Mix)" does what it says on the tin, being a track based around err, samba drumming! Other instruments do feature - subliminal, atmospheric synth pads, some groovy, high-up-the-fretboard chord work from RooH, then a burbling bass sequencer and a sneaky bit of marimba near the end. On its own, this is nothing to get too worked up over, though it does sound good in the overall soundscape of the CD, sorta thing . . . does that even make sense?! I'm not sure . . . let's move on . . .
   Las Vegas Mermaids - "Bus Driver" is a poppy synth rocker - 'tis listenable, but it doesn't develop much over the course of its 5 minutes.
   the taurus board - ttb gets two bites of the cherry this time - "Bus Driver (On The Road)" (what *is* this obsession with bus drivers all about, eh?!) is another funky techno track, which peters out just as some nice IDM synths enter the picture, whilst "Bus Driver (I'm Going Home)" is a clubby thumper leading into a short ambient drone.
   UNIT - UNIT's all-instrumental set is interesting indeed. After the bright 'n' breezy "Ivor Kullin Goes to Denmark Street", we get a rather strange "call and answer" saxophone duet, followed by the glorious "No Matter, Try Again, Fail Again, Fail Better" - 5 and a half minutes of full-on free improv. With sax, flute, bass, tom toms and rumbling piano all doing their thing in the no man's land between jazz and rock, this piece sounds like a long-lost cousin of "Pisser dans un violon" or "Underwater" off "Shooting at the Moon"!
   Satan the Jesus Infekt'd Needles and Blood - this Hobs-related project give us a truly insane, scissored-to-shit noise collage, consisting of assorted moans, grunts 'n' howls, monstrous globs of fuzz bass, snatches of full band performance and static, static, static galore. The whole thing sounds like it was recorded on a succession of dictaphones, answering machines and wax cylinders (and let's face it - it probably was)!
   Jaw-D (featuring the Half-Pipers) - "Skateboard Park" is a catchy, scratchy, Chrome-esque lo-fi groover, based around clumping drum machine, persistent low e-string guitar riffing and multi-tracked "mic in mouth" vocals. I quite like this track, but at 6 minutes, its minimal sound palette is pretty much stretched to breaking point - the addition of another instrument or two towards the end wouldn't have gone amiss!
   Needle Park (featuring RooHmania) - beginning in a curious Paisley Underground / neo-psychedelia-esque jangle zone, this instrumental remix of a track entitled "She Comes in the Storm" then morphs into a 4/4 meat 'n' potatoes rocker for the remainder. I like the juxtaposition of 'clean' (drums and lead guitar overdubs) and 'dirty' (distorted rhythm guitar and out of tune bass) elements here, though as a composition, this isn't particularly earth-shattering.
   Conclusion - chronologically speaking, this one was definitely the strongest godspunk since the first - Bartles, UNIT, Howl and Satan the Jesus . . . all saw to that. Yeah - as my review attests, not everything here is stellar when put under the microscope, but there's still something about the flow of the disc that means I always spin it front to end without skipping anything. That's the strange magic of godspunk, I suppose!

 - godspunk volume six
   Howl in the Typewriter - fittingly, ". . . volume six" = six whole contributions from pStan, my faves of which are the opener "Weigh How" - a synth pop tune with a punky attitude, the quirky, subtly dissonant jangle ballad "Nation of Two", which reminds me of Julian Cope in "Skellington" mode (always a good thing) and the split channel experiment "Never Killed Anyone / This Way Down", which pits a track of drifting ambience against another of glitchy, crunchy electronics and sounds rather fine any which way you choose to listen to it!
   Evil Jack McDeath - "Interference" - the first of three EJ McD pieces - is an extremely cool snippet of '70s-style instrumental rock. It sounds a little bit like something you'd hear on the soundtrack to an exploitation film from that era, y'know - Werewolves on Wheels or Countess Perverse or something awesome like that. Unfortunately, his other two contributions are nowhere near as good - "¡Miercoles!" could actually be "Interference" in dub, while "Hijo de Puta" - a collaboration with one Vince Palmier - is a 30 second long banjo-centric hillbilly piece, both of which are too slight to be of any real consequence (kinda the same problem I had with Mr. Whaley's stuff on the previous godspunk, for those of you taking notes!)
   Jaw-D - returning after his appearance on ". . . volume five", but without The Half-Pipers this time, Jaw-D gives us a pair of tracks - "Let 'em Dance", which bops along in a lo-fi, Suicide-ish synth punk manner, and the much softer "Story Time", which I found rather irritating to begin with, but with subsequent plays, its poppy naivety has sorta won me over.
   The Style Pigs - according to the Pumf site, this project is closely linked with the likes of The Melodramatic Monkey and Data's Cat (see "godspunk volume eight" onwards for pieces submitted under these names). For this disc, TSP offer up a couple of abrasive scuzz punkers, plus "Fountain of Blood" - a kind of 'urban folk tale', with lyrics about pierced genitals, vomit, smack, crack and masturbation. Sounds like my kinda party!
   John Tree - Mr. Tree's "Fen Rap (Zen Radio Version)" is a remix of a track originally by The Haddenham One. 'Tis a droning ambient thing, with distant, echoed rhythmic elements - nice, but unfortunately it fades out just as it seems to be getting going!
   Turn Leathers - an uber-fuzzy, glitch-riddled noise rock performance gives way to a comical conversation about taking a bath, while a Terry Riley record plays somewhere off in the distance. Intriguing stuff! Turn Leathers were a trio from Todmorden, who operated between 1992 and 1994. According to their Bandcamp page, save for this track, all that remains of their legacy is a photograph and a sweet instrumental jangle pop tune that they partially rescued from a knackered old cassette!
   The Shi-Ites - as the title would suggest, "Swirlygig" is a swirly, psychedelic sliver of instrumental indie / post rock from the trio of Ging Shi-Ite, pStan and RooHmania, which builds gradually over the course of its 5 minutes without ever blowing out into cliche distorted frippery like much stuff in this style. This piece reminds me a little of the band State River Widening.
   Bartles - US underground stalwart John Bartles' lone contribution, "The Psychiatrist's Head", is extremely brief at a smidgen over 2 minutes, but it's definitely one of my ". . . volume six" favourites nonetheless, coming off a little bit like Tom Waits' "Pasties and a G-String (At the Two O'Clock Club)", just with added sax. Very cool.
   Elwyn Temple Meads - this is The Las Vegas Mermaids under yet another guise. Their first number, "All Right Me Lads", is easily one of my least favourite godspunk contributions to date - an extremely annoying comedy 'synth folk' song, sung in a fake West Country accent, which - at an excruciating 4 minutes - outstays its welcome something rotten. "Isle of St. Claire" is more of the same, but mercifully it's half the length of its predecessor, so it can be more easily ignored!
   UNIT - just the one piece from UNIT this time around - the mini-epic "Eco Warrior Blues". This is a pleasingly skewiff boogie woogie send-up, with an extended middle section comprised of jazzy improvised noodling and a spoken word performance regarding assorted extinct animal species.
   The Haddenham One ft. John Tree - I really like this stretch of lo-fi, minimal techno. The inclusion of warped sampled voices brings to mind certain Howl in the Typewriter tracks. One of the strongest pieces on here, for sure!
   the taurus board - as per the title, "Angel One" samples both Stream Angel and The Haddenham One and comes off a bit like a 'polite' version of Aphex Twin in the process.
   DimM D3ciPLe - this kinda oddball project made its godspunk debut here with a track entitled "Saw You Again_Edit", in which a tentative, lo-fi bedroom guitar ballad suddenly morphs into a rather enjoyable slice of minimal, house-y electronica.
   Conclusion - despite the presence of some fine material, I doubt this will ever become one of my favourite godspunks, though I suppose it *has* grown on me a little more each time I've played it, so you never know . . . 

 - godspunk volume seven
   Howl in the Typewriter - as with ". . . volume three", the main meat of pStan's ". . . volume seven" offerings can be found in the opener, which comes in the form of "Planet Head" - an infectious piece of techno pop, with a humorous spoken interlude by Andy Martin, plus a bagpipe outro! "Dandelion" and the closer, "Garden of Eden", are much more low-key and minimal.
   RooHmania - this time around, RooH contributed three short snatches of synthesizer ambience, nothing more, nothing less . . .
   the taurus board - as I think we've firmly established now, ttb was a project dealing in rather retro sounding techno stuff. Their track here - "Starfish" - is a bit more pounding and aggressive than previous submissions - it definitely got my foot a-tapping, but my knickers (and melon) remained un-twisted for the duration.
   Arkon Daraul - "The Dogs / Fording Principle" is a curious ambient melange of thumb piano, cryptic voices, assorted thumpings and a field recording of rain. I liked what I heard, so looked this project up to perhaps find out more - my diligent research revealed that they contributed a track to a Ptolemaic Terrascope comp eight years before this one, made at least one demo CD-R at some point and maybe have something to do with a chap named Steven Hanson . . . other than that, AD are a total mystery . . . though not as mysterious as Norman . . . NO ONE is as mysterious as Norman!
   The Richwoods - on their Blogspot, ukelele wielders The Richmonds describe their stuff as "a musical collision between Ennio Morricone, Roy Budd and George Formby"! I quite like their trio of cute, perky tunes, the last of which is subjected to a touch of electronic manipulation, just to mix things up a bit. Incidentally, Dan Whaley of Evil Jack McDeath fame is one of the people behind this here twang-doodlin'.
   Las Vegas Mermaids - this synth pop ode to Bruce Willis is an improvement on their dire turn as faux folk jokers Elwyn Temple Meads on the sixth godspunk, but that's not saying much, really . . . nah - call me a curmudgeon, but this 'un just ain't for me . . .
   SAASS / Richard / Upwey-hey - according to the booklet, these three offerings all come courtesy of someone called Laurence. The first and third are a recording of kids singing during a school production (?) and a VERY brief snatch of bass guitar and (I think) organ, respectively, while the Richard track is a scratchy (and rather spiffing) funk-punk thing in a Gang of Four / Pop Group / early Liars style-e.
   Ray Reagan and the RayGuns - this excellent pStan-fronted project gives us "Dopamine", a catchy, almost Rocky Horror-esque fuzz punker, which gradually gets more and more psychedelic as it chugs along.
   HRT - the 6 minute stretch of rusted dark ambience provided by these ever-so-creepy masked Brighton sorts sounds - to all intents and purposes - like it got lost on its way to a Freak Animal comp, all uber-delayed / reverbed violin abuse and distant fuzz detonations. Yeah, I like this a lot! If you're in need of a soundtrack for your next ritual torture sesh down the abandoned factory, then search no more!
   Dimm D3ciple - DD's first tune here ("Take a Day") is a disappointingly plain, go-nowhere acoustic ballad. Despite a fairly promising intro of strange backwards sound, I was prepared to write "SmokeScreen" off as more of the same - its mawkish chords bringing to mind such crimes against acoustic guitar as "When You Say Nothing at All" and that sappy "I could be your hero, baby" shite - until a pleasant melody entered the fray and I was reminded a little of the glorious main theme from Cannibal Holocaust, saving the track's arse well and truly! Phew!
   UNIT - the UNIT posse cranked out two rather filmic instrumental pieces and two songs for the seventh 'spunk, of which "Eagle" (from the latter category) is easily the highlight - its lovely, slippery chord progression making it one of the band's strongest compositions. Indeed, this might actually be my favourite thing on the whole CD.
   The Cheeky Buddhas / John Tree - as TCB, ol' JT and company give us a playful, mysterious and nostalgic piece of 'World'-flavoured ambient music entitled "Water Wings", featuring ukelele and some kind of tuned percussion or thumb piano doing warm 'n' sunny minimalist things on top of a field recording of people having fun at the seaside - lovely. Solo track "The Fetishist", on the other hand, is a melding of cool jazz and ambient, all upright bass, strings, atonal synths and snatches of tribal rhythm, adding up to a nicely noir-ish atmosphere.
   Maybe Alaska - this looks to be another 'one-track-and-done' anonymous project, whose epic 7 minute piece ("Sound Effects") features input from Howl in the Typewriter. It's an excellent sound collage of overdriven harmonica, distant drums, plus other dark, grey driftings, and is a musical depiction of a bleak, industrialised location called Seal Sands (presumably the one in the North East of England).
   Chelsea from Essex - "Deal Ear" is an instrumental in 7 time, featuring a growling synth bassline and sampled drums. While I like the actual SOUND of this, as a composition it doesn't particularly hold up to close scrutiny, coming off as pretty unhappening on the whole.
   Conclusion - blimey, this is a mixed up one, even by godspunk standards! For me, ". . . volume seven" is another 'bitty' affair, that's perhaps best viewed as a kind of 'sonic buffet' - i.e. plenty of nibbly morsels on offer, as well as some meaty stuff to really sink the teeth into, not to mention a coupla things to spit back out into yer napkin!

 - godspunk volume eight
   Howl in the Typewriter - we get a whopping five servings of Howl this time around, including the mega fuzzy three chord pop psych rocker "Rainbow Footsteps", "The Circuit" - a catchy all-out synth popper, which sounds like Pet Shop Boys or New Order in hit-making mode, and "Beach Bum", an early Nine Inch Nails-esque damnation of sand-dwelling US slackers! Excellent stuff.
   Boxhead - as well as "Sebok Goes to the Shops" - a sub-20 second snippet of comedic something-or-other - there's a far more substantial piece entitled "Murderer" on offer from this mysterious project, consisting of strange scatting and mouth-farting over a cheesy electro rock backing track. It's undeniably well produced, but I find the whole thing rather irritating, I'm afraid.
   UNIT - ". . . volume eight" (mostly) sees the UNIT boys at their most rocking since the first 'spunk. "Shameless" - a messy, loose number, with a spoken vocal and a "Telstar"-esque key line - is one of two Apostles remakes. Elsewhere there's "Buckingham Palace Burns Down" - a wigged-out heavy metal jam, dominated by chuggy distorted guitar and - my fave - "I Heard Him Call My Name", a "White Light /  White Heat"-styled rocker with an unhinged guitar solo . . . OK, so it's not nearly as unhinged as the one in its VU near-namesake, but then few things are . . .
   the taurus board - following a teasing extended intro of strummed acoustic, droning synths and bass pulses, "In Der Teestube" then reveals itself as a sorta uneventful Prodigy-esque big beat-er. That said, those ping pong-ing synth sounds near the end are rather nice, guv!
   The Melodramatic Monkey - "Eaten by a Giant Razz" features fast vocal cut-ups over a hip hop beat and a monotonous Middle Eastern-y figure played on an oud or something. Synths add a touch of interest eventually . . . then it ends! TMM's other two contributions are a bit more appealing, both being playful, surrealist sound collages - "RagZilla vs Octopus Episode 10" consists of assorted snatches of techno, old timey music, warped voices etc. and is slightly reminiscent of Steve Stapleton / Nurse With Wound at his most cartoony, while "Nipples" throws thrash metal, synth funk and an acid bassline into the sonic pot!
   Balkan'oliks - if you've ever yearned for techno with an Eastern European flavour, then buy this CD and yearn no more (well, for about 5 and a half minutes, anyway!) - "Sabaka Casa" is peppered with accordion and the like, while "Syrnyj Poezd" features 'Cossack'-y horn parps. Fun stuff for sure, but not my bag, really.
   Evil Jack McDeath - "The Sunglass'd Eye" is a thumping, medium-paced instrumental in the style of mid-'60s US garage / psych, with a NICE distorted guitar tone. This is the most substantial offering yet from Mr. Whaley re: track length, though on the whole it does feel more like an unfinished backing track than a fully fleshed piece of sonic satisfaction!
   D.I.M.M. - ditching the dodgy acoustic guitar moves for now, "Ixx Perra Mental" is a 6 minute stretch of low-key electronica, with a minimal beat alongside various glitches and wavering half-melodies from backwards / delayed voice samples. The track becomes busier in a subtle way as it goes along. Pretty cool stuff - I definitely prefer this project in electronic mode!
   The Shi-Ites - "Spatial" sports an odd 'Dalek trapped down a sewer' vocal performance over a backing of weighty bluesy riffing and feather-light lead twiddlings, recalling The Bevis Frond at his loosest and most psychedelic.
   Heffalump Trap - this project was a veritable godspunk supergroup, featuring pStan, Phil Smith, Kate Fear, Ging Shi-Ite, John Tree, Andrew Truth and the late Nigel Jospeh and RooH. Their lone contribution to the series is a spacious, slow, atmospheric Pink Floyd-esque instrumental, with gratifying rough edges (the grittty bass tone, not to mention all that distant, trashed-out, almost Kousokuya-esque discordant feedback) offsetting the relaxing synth and steady beat. Very cool!
   The Cockfield Two - hmm . . . that picture in the booklet is mighty familiar . . . well, whaddayaknow - this is none other than our old mucker Norman under a different name! So he's not as obscure as I first thought . . . though not by much! Anyway, "On the Hook" is a funky, semi-rapped thing, with lo-fi drum machine and synth. Part of me wants to say "not my scene, fella" and move on, but I dunno - there's something quite pleasing about it . . . for a couple of minutes, anyway! EDIT - pStan confirmed that as well as The Cockfield Two, Norman was also behind the projects Jaw-D and Maybe Alaska. Sadly this was his last godspunk contribution, as he passed away in 2013.
   Conclusion - peppered with strong material as it may be, truth be told, this is probably the volume I reach for the least when in need of a godspunk fix. Too much light, not enough shade, perhaps?! Or maybe it's the (legitimately terrifying) sadistic-looking bastard on the cover that's putting me off?! I just don't know . . .

 - godspunk volume nine
   Howl in the Typewriter - pStan gets the party pStarted with an extremely detailed, minor key synth pop raver entitled "The Edge of the World", which chronicles some kind of invasion from intergalactic earthworms . . . err, I *think* (sorry - I'm rubbish at paying close attention to lyrics!) . . . also synth-centric, but much more subdued and serene, is the folky waltz of "Whales", which is rather lovely indeed . . . "Summer Baby", on t'other hand, is an odd proggy post-punk thing with minimal falsetto vocals, then "Ram Raiding" (almost*) caps things off in a perky punk-rockin' style-e . . . (*stick around 'til the very end of the disc and you'll hear a brief guitar / voice reprise of "Whales") . . .
   the taurus board - "The Hod Cloppers: The First Rehearsal" is an interestingly textured, though compositionally pretty one-dimensional techno number, with crisp beats and distorted synths.
   Dimm D3ciple - following on from the ambient / trip hop snippet "The Dream (Millions of People Mix)", "Stranded" is DD's main contribution this time around. After an intro of sweary spoken word, the track's poignant, pastoral synth lines are joined by a funky drum machine beat, the piece reminding me a touch of Aphex Twin at his calmest and most melodic. Nice!
   UNIT - "Employment Enjoyment" is a breezy, synth and vibes-infused pop tune, featuring an extended free improv mid-section, not to mention pStan on guest expletives during the chorus . . . a fine song, but not one to play when yer mum's 'round! Track 9, "Minh, Binh & Vinh", is a frantic, distorted instrumental, which would be perfect soundtracking a chase sequence in some old spy film, whilst the similarly vocal-free "Labor Callum Obducit Dolori" sports a pleasingly dodgy drum solo in amidst its pacy fun and frolics! Last of all there's a re-recording of the fantastic "Eagle", shorn of the "daft sax and flute section" (their words, not mine!) featured in the version on ". . . volume seven".
   Balkan'oliks - yikes . . . "Tree Peva Kozol" sounds suspiciously like some kind of "I Like to Move It" / Zig & Zag-type '90s ragga nonsense! In its defence, I will say that I'd probably have liked this if I'd heard it when I was 11 (yeah, yeah - I own . . . err, I mean *owned* the Zig & Zag single back in the day . . . anyone got a problem with that?!). "Dicky Dicky Dick Boom" is a slight improvement, returning things to the Eastern Europe-flavoured electronica of their ". . . volume eight" contributions.
   Lenin's Virulent Muscle - back after a brief absence, LVM go all LDB on our asses for "Turf the Roads", a male-fronted hip hop track, which ain't too happening, but ain't too bad. Meanwhile, "Spider Crabs" is an acoustic 'n' strings, anti-Hugh Fearnley Wotsisname ballad - sorta cute, but not one of their better efforts.
   The Death of the Enlightenment Project - following a minute of indistinct answering machine audio and backwards demon voices, this extract from a piece called "Iblis" mostly consists of single-chord raw fuzzy doom noise, sounding not unlike one of those perversely extended Melvins intros, or early Sunn O))) on fast-forward, after which it's back to hellishly modified voices for the last few seconds. Don't get me wrong, at first I though this track was pretty cool, but - upon closer inspection - it dawned on me that it more or less goes nowhere. I can only imagine that a longer, more sonically diverse edit would've proved more satisfying, but alas - on this occasion, it wasn't to be!
   John Tree - JT gives the old crooner chestnut "The Way You Look Tonight" a 'drifting out of focus' druggy dub treatment, replete with a Satie-and-synths interlude. Relaxing, but strangely sinister and haunting stuff.
   Laszlo Klemke - this is Dan Whaley's faux '60s film composer alter ego - "The Spyral Suitcase" (purported to be excerpts of music from equally made-up Slovakian director Emil Kuchar's "long lost 1966 spy caper" of the same name!) is a cool piece, full of different moods and tempos - from mysterious and noir-ish, to perky and klezmer-esque. I'll be honest, only small parts of this sound 'authentically' '60s, so ol' Laszlo won't be pulling the wool over the eyes of many any time soon, but taken on its own merits, I like it - it goes quite well with UNIT's "Minh, Binh & Vinh".
   Boxhead - as you may recall, I didn't think much of Boxhead's contributions to ". . . volume eight" - "Static and Silence", thankfully, is much better, being a relaxed, electric piano-based jazz fusion instrumental for most of its playing time.
   Seven Footsteps to Satan - coming in right after Boxhead to rudely wake you from your jazzy slumber, "The Devil's Janitor" is a fuzzy, noisy techno effort. Promising sonics, indeed, so it's a shame the piece is over after a scant 54 seconds! I've no idea who is behind this project, but they've got a self-titled album floating about on the interweb, which I may just check out when I get a spare minute or twenty!
   The Shi-Ites - "Dopamine Dream" sports a weak, hesitant vocal performance, which wavers bashfully atop a rootsy, Stones-y acoustic rock backing. Not terrible by any stretch, but certainly my least fave of this combo's godspunk submissions. Curious C86-type production nonetheless.
   The Melodramatic Monkey - as with UNIT's "Employment Enjoyment", TMM's sole ". . . volume nine" piece, "Giraffe and Egg (Sgt. Panic Edit)", also features pStan on spoken guest vocals. Its opening section of industrial / ambient driftings gives way to some fuzzy techno rockin', which in turn morphs seamlessly into a concluding segment of *reggae* techno! Good stuff, chaps.
   Conclusion - after the somewhat disappointing eighth volume, this one was a step back in the right direction, for sure. Yeah yeah, it's still a bit on the patchy / scatty side for my tastes, but it's a pretty fine listen, and whatever - this was actually the first godspunk I ever heard, so it will always hold a spesh place in my heart for that reason alone!

 - godspunk volume ten
   Howl in the Typewriter - "TMI" - a synth-fuelled Pistols parody, lyrically directed at irritating sexual 'over-sharers' - gets the tenth 'spunk session underway, and is the first of SEVEN (actually eight with the hidden track) Howl tunes on offer here! Other highlights include "Frederick", which sounds like Kraftwerk with a ghost in the machine, "Sciatica Blues" - a wonderful Syd Barrett-y psych folk shuffle with e-bowed / slide guitars, and "The Stolen Carrot" - an absurdist / surrealist spoken word piece backed up by assorted spooky synth doodlings.
   UNIT - a reet mixed bag fron UNIT this time - a coupla cover tunes, poetry backed by birdsong, a restlessly proggy instrumental and a nutty novelty number. The raw, rockin' "Nazi Scum" (originally by Oi Polloi) is probably my fave of the five - love that meaty, filthy guitar tone.
   Nil By Nose - the chap behind this project, Carl Anderson, is one of the members of the Las Vegas Mermaids et al. Of his three brief submissions here, I like the middle one best - "Dragon Ninja (A Ninjas Lament)" - which sports distorted, e-bowed guitar lines and a synth bassline doing weirdly poignant things beneath a deadpan spoken vocal and repeated samples, presumably taken from some old ninja arcade game or other.
   The Melodramatic Monkey - "Pissing in the Coffee" features pStan "spitting bars" (I think that's what the cool kids call it these days, but don't quote me on that . . .) over a backing of rock guitars, synths and beats. Not really my "flava" (no, no - just stop now!), but a very creative and intricately edited track, nonetheless!
   Seven Footsteps to Satan - even more frustrating than SFtS's submission to the ninth godspunk, "Crow Crested Cobra" is an improv / noise guitar collage, featuring some tantalisingly Merzbow-esque white hot fuzz textures, which bids adieu after a paltry *33 seconds* . . . noooo, come back! We need several minutes more of you! At least! Thankfully "Lava Surf" is on hand later in the disc to give us something a *bit* more developed - fuzzy guitar riffing and bent circuit beats, to be precise. Which is OK I suppose . . . but it ain't an extended "Crow Crested Cobra", is it . . . *goes off to sulk for 666 days* . . .
   tbd - this electronic quartet - who featured RooH amongst their ranks - recorded "b600", a fast-paced, jungle-y slice of techno, around about the millennium. I'm not the biggest fan of banging, beat-driven, "off your tits in the middle of a muddy field" stuff like this, though I like the squidgy synth textures on offer.
   John Tree - after a shadowy industrial intro, "Moon Star Tail Lights" reveals itself to be an appealing, almost Oriental-sounding beats 'n' synths piece, based around a shimmering, looped figure.
   The Red Guards - this cheesy, but downright infectious sliver of genuine Shanghai pop rock was mixed by an ex-member of UNIT, apparently. The recording was made in 2000 according to the booklet, but the sound is pure '80s hehe. Y'know, the more I hear this, the more I love it!
   The Shend - yet more diligent research informs me that this charming, lo-fi piece, comprised of kooky spoken vocals, freeform electric guitar and a trip hop-ish beat, is the work of a dude who not only played in several punk bands like The Cravats and The Very Things back in the day, but who has also acted in TV progs like Red Dwarf, Men Behaving Badly and Casualty*, to name but three! Anyway, without trying to turn things into "spoken word wars", I have to say I prefer "The Stolen Carrot" to this, though it has the edge on "Second Desert" thanks to that luvvly noisy geetar! (*not to take anything away from Shend's formidable achievements, but I think we've ALL been in Casualty - or Holby at least - at some point . . . or so it feels . . .)
   Laszlo Klemke - another mini-suite of faux '60s film music from this Dan Whaley alias, this time rendered entirely acoustically, due to those nasty Soviets nicking off with Lazlo's electricals (ho ho!). Compared with LK's previous submission, this sounds even less 'vintage' to my ears, though compositionally it's a bit more refined.
   Foxhole UK - this duo of Ging Shi-Ite (drums) and a fella called Wakey (everything else) provide us with a clumpy slice of punk rawk entitled "Politics of Punk". I find the sloppy performance and rough 'n' ready production appealing, though truth be told, musically the song is nothing special.
   Dimm D3ciple - DD's lone contribution is a rather minimal affair, consisting of tribal beats, distant ambient synths, kinda corny pitched-down vocals and a few splashes of melodica. Not bad, but not my jam of choice from this project.
   Cyril Bagels & the Alpaca 5 - the deft editing and eclectic sound design on display in this piece makes me think that Cyril Bagels & the Alpaca 5 is perhaps yet another offshoot of The Melodramatic Monkey etc. Expect scratching, horns, cartoon samples and oodles of funky fusion groove!
   Conclusion - while it may lack the 'obvious' highlights of previous volumes, there's still an undeniable consistency of quality to ". . . volume ten" that I find very pleasing! Stylistically all-over-the-shop, but wholly free of outright stinkers = a winning godspunk combo! If only that noise track had been a bit longer . . . 

 - godspunk volume eleven
   Howl in the Typewriter - "It's two-thousand and twelve . . . we're all going down" (tell me about it, pStan!) - and so begins godspunk volume eleven . . . this prog folk mini-epic sounds like a strange (though certainly not unpleasant) combo of Jethro Tull and XTC at times! Good stuff. Meanwhile, "Cheeseburger-eating American" contains samples from *that* YouTube godspunk review (look it up if you haven't already!) laid over perky beats and synths, "Chewed by Badgers" (great title! A Peep Show reference, if I'm not mistaken) is a restless cut-up of spastic drum machine, voice and orchestral samples, plus assorted synths bleeping away atonally, while closer "when I was a little boy" is an epic plunderphonic collage, full of golden oldie glam and pop hits, as well as samples from '70s telly . . . think Jive Bunny meets Operation Yewtree!
   Laszlo Klemke / Spycore / The Earls of Monte Cristo - with its continental, 'French Riviera'-flavoured acoustic guitar and harmonica (or is it a melodica?!), "Le Treizieme" is probably the most authentic of the faux '60s soundtrack godspunk offerings from LK - very nice! I think I farted and missed the 10 second long Spycore track, "Industrial Espionage" (or is it actually "Spycore" by Industrial Espionage?! The discography on Dan Whaley's site actually lists IE as the project name!), which just leaves us with the pleasant dusty slide geetar frippery of The Earls of Monte Cristo, after which Mr. Whaley jumped off the 'spunk train for a few stops . . .
   UNIT - perhaps intentionally, UNIT's set runs the gamut from their lightest, breeziest piece (the cricket-crazy "Giving It Large (For Phil Tufnell)"), to their absolute darkest ("My Parents Are Dead But I Wish It Was Me Who Had Killed Them" - a brutally frank Plastic Ono Band-level confessional, ending with some disturbing throat-shredding from Andy Martin), taking in Communist music, a Chinese traditional tune and an all-vibes instrumental along the way.
   Data's Cat - a.k.a. The Melodramatic Monkey et al., the Data's Cat project debuted with "Game Over (Live On Venus)", in which a World-y fusion jam - alternating between funky bass-powered sections and floaty ambient bits - gives way to a stretch of palm-mutin', head-bangin' rock chug-a-chug (served up on a bed of Kosmische organ, natch), before a big ol' "Ozric Tentacles-go-metal" riff takes over and the Venus mosh pit goes mental! Meticulously put together and flawlessly produced, as always from this fella.
   Dimm D3ciple - in "Boogie Monster", distorted kick drum and waves of farting synth test the limits of your sound system / the sturdiness of your living quarters / the sanity of your next door neighbours, whilst assorted modified vocals come and go, some very much of the 'monstrous' variety. Pretty cool!
   The Large Veiny Members featuring Vag - come volume eleven, Carl Anderson and co. switched their project name to The Large Veiny Members, bringing with it a change in musical direction. Their first piece, "Narwhal", features minimal, Conrad Schnitzler-esque electronics underneath a slightly kooky, Rose McDowall-y vocal from Vag. The song never deviates from its original chordal base but, develops just enough so as not to become redundant. Later on, the slightly melancholic electro-skank-pop of "Yeti" shows they still had traces of The Las Vegas Mermaids left in their systems during these formative stages . . .
   Kunzysteem / The Glue Machine - these names occupy the same page in the booklet, so I presume they comprise of the same people - a Dutch male / female duo by the looks of things! The Kunzysteem song is a neo-'80s moody synth pop thing, which is cool musically, but I'm not entirely sold on the shared vocals. The Glue Machine's "Positive" is a bit more to my taste - monotonous synth punk, a bit like The Doors jamming with Suicide. Looks like Kunzysteem went on to release a full-length CD in 2019, though according to Discogs, TGM still only has this one track to its name.
   Englandz Glory - Wakey and Ging are back, this time treating us to a bit of psychedelic reggae, entitled "Burning Bright". Pros: the dirty, smoky, 'recorded in a decrepit backstreet practice hovel'-esque atmosphere at work. Cons: clocking in at a gnat's nadger over 3 minutes, the track is just too damned short to make that much of an impression - to me it feels like a rather stingy excerpt from a jam that's quite possibly still going on now! More, gentlemen, please!
   Nil By Nose - a pair of tunes from NBN this time - "Douchebag" is a Howl-esque techno 'n' sampled vox concoction, while the Captain Beefheart tribute "So Long Thanks For All The Masks" is based around the famous "fast 'n' bulbous" skit from "Trout Mask Replica", plus minimal synths and beats.
   The Johnny Lieberbaum Pops Orchestra - "Shameless Love" comes courtesy of yet another John Tree alias - this cheesy, but relaxing easy listening / ambient mélange has a slight taste of Aphex Twin at points.
   Conclusion - mostly damned solid . . . there's a good balance of short and long . . . light and dark . . . new and old . . . male and female . . . yin and yang . . . naughty and nice . . . sweet and sour . . . you get the idea. A satisfying one after some serviceable, but not outstanding volumes.

 - godspunk volume twelve
   Howl in the Typewriter - seven Howl treats await us this time around. On the song-front, opener "Sanitised" is another of pStan's uber-catchy techno pop ditties, which sports a cheeky quote from "Purple Haze" during its middle section, whilst the nicely rustic psych folk waltz "The Fishman" is full of tasty taps 'n' tinkles on assorted percussion items. The mostly instrumental "The Nightmare of Childhood" is also heavy on the percussion, then there's more experimental, collage-y fare such as "Derek's Briefcase", comprising of what sounds like split-second samples of early evening telly.
   UNIT - UNIT provide us with no less than ELEVEN pieces here, several of which are short, fast, rockin' and rather experimental, featuring electric guitars processed through some alien warp effect or other, plus layers of strange, musique concrete-y sounds (Morse code blips, birdsong). Elsewhere there's the more 'traditional' sounding (but no less excellent) "Martin's Gone" and "A Song for Eric Cooper"- both sure-fire inclusions on that UNIT playlist I keep meaning to make.
   John Tree ft Veronneau - another samba remix tune from JT, the original of which features on Veronneau's "Jazz Samba Project" CD. This is mellow fare - nice enough, but all in all I find it pretty uneventful.
   Data's Cat - the multi-sectioned "Squid Bullets" picks up where volume eleven's "Game Over (Live On Venus)" left off, moving through flute-ified jazz funk, Oriental-flavoured marimba minimalism, Flamenco guitar, and a brief climax of almost Muse-esque heavy riffing. "Pipe, Slippers & A Basket of Flute" is far less eclectic, being a funky wah-rock jam overlaid with yet more delicious flute soloing, at times bringing to mind Island-era Jade Warrior!
   Nil By Nose - on his own, Nil gives us "These Sounds" - a short collage of guitar / trumpet mini loops, atonal slide guitar and a sampled voice, as well as "Take It Easy Guys Oomba Goomba", which consists of gloopy, sickly phased synth and uber-echoed mumble vox. Cool sounds, especially in the latter, so it's a shame that both pieces tootle off into the ether so soon after they've begun. That said, the remix towards the end of the disc does provide us with something a bit more lengthy - entitled "Balloc" ('collab' spelled backwards - DAMN, I'm sharp tonight!), the mysterious 1001101000 gives NBN's source material a somewhat industrialised treatment, with bleak tones and drones hovering malevolently around yer lugholes for a good 3 minutes.
   Dimm D3ciple - "The Wiring" is a downtempo assemblage of trip hop drum machine, bland, barely-there synth and a droning, dreary computerised voice, which goes pretty much nowhere. C'mon, Dimm - we know you can do better than this!
   XxiiJ - a.k.a. Russ23, who used to be in HRT (of godspunk volume seven fame). "Loss" begins with sinister synth drones lurking around the edges of the soundscape, whilst Coil-esque glitches haunt the foreground. Things build subtly with the addition of bowed strings, sounding not unlike the distant wailings of a ghost (or cats shagging down an alley, whichever you prefer), before things go full-on '80s horror movie theme, all ominous piano and creepy synth pulses. I'd tend to agree with Andy Martin - that out-of-nowhere ending does break the horror-tastic spell a touch, otherwise this is fine stuff!
   The Large Veiny Members featuring 90 [Noventa] - entitled "Sans Moi", this piece boasts a guest vocal from the prolific French rapper 90 [Noventa]. The industrial-cum-Krautrock backing music is rather dirgey and monotonous, though the chirpy, Cotton Casino-style lead synth gets wilder as the track plods on, stopping things from stagnating too much! Uncultured brute that I am, I don't think I've spoken a single word of French since my GCSE oral exam (oo-er!) back in the year 2000, so the lyrics are completely lost on me, unfortunately!
   The Flesheaters - when I first spotted the band name and song title, I was praying this would turn out to be a putrid, filthy slab of death metal . . . as it is, "Let's Eat Rotting Flesh" sees the duo of Wakey and Ging indulging in a spot of twangy, surfadelic garage rockin'. Whilst the backing track doesn't do anything at all revelatory, the "gargling on a gobful of guts" zombie vocals from Wakey keep this track fairly entertaining!
   Stevan Barnes - seemingly another "one track and done" contributor, this fella provides us with a charming ditty entitled "F You", consisting of a minimal backing of "ooh" vocals and four-on-the-floor kick drum, over which Mr. Barnes expresses his desire to perform the act of fornication with some lucky lady or other! Not sure what the hell type of music this is - some kind of skeletal soul / techno hybrid, perhaps, I dunno - but I sort of like it, whatever!
   Conclusion - this volume actually makes a good companion disc to two and seven, in that it's another with loads of kooky bits 'n' bats doing their thing in between more substantial material, though out of the three, this is probably the most satisfying as an aesthetically coherent front-to-back listening experience.

 - godspunk volume thirteen
   Howl in the Typewriter - another large and satisfying dollop of Howl awaits you on this volume . . . "Memory" kicks things off in a fine synth pop / post-punk kinda way, dragging you down all sorts of sonic rabbit holes in the process . . . "the things that may or may not be true" is a homespun collage of lo-fi unplugged guitar twanging, malfunctioning acid house tomfoolery and pStan's trademark vocal samples . . . "Glass Heart" is a gradually building slow-mo post-punk grinder, over which pStan delivers a hoarse, almost David Tibet-style vocal . . . "(traditional)" is a collage of children's and novelty music gone VERY wrong indeed! This feckin' thing seems to descend into actual Hell during its middle stages! Terrifying . . . "Your Brain is aJah" is an extremely odd piece, with multiple voices singing a succession of bizarre half-melodies, whilst a vocodered voice and occasional handclaps keep time in the background . . . pStan, how do you think this stuff up?! "The RooHniverse" is a NEU! / Harmonia-style ambient / Krautrock jam, with bright, floaty lead guitar flourishes courtesy of the late RooH himself . . . closer "Howl in the Typewriter in Derek's Briefcase" is another collage, particularly notable for its amusing Maggie Thatcher cameo, discussing her fondness for Christmas pudding . . .
   UNIT - Andy Martin's squad open their set with a twitchy, neurotic reading of Gang of Four's "Anthrax"- all pounding floor toms and atonal guitars. Next, "White Trash" is a strange, airy song, with shades of the Canterbury Scene at its mellowest - think Robert Wyatt, Hatfield and the North etc. The instrumental "Eric Cooper" is mostly redolent of stuff from the late psychedelic / early prog rock crossover period, consisting of more tom thumping, wiry guitar lines, busy 'cut-price Vincent Crane' organ, not to mention a short break for some disco funk bass! In complete contrast, "Shells & Stars" sees guesting DJs The Sick Notes Crew 'spitting' over a moody, minimal backing of bass, hi-hat, rim shots, creepy droning synth tones and bird caws. With "Friends", UNIT return to more familiar territory - this mid-paced number is full of interesting modulations and time shifts. I'd put this one in the same bracket as "Eagle" - i.e. it's one of their best!
   The Large Veiny Members - "Dancing Ants" is a minimal Kraut-y miniature, with an atmospheric, heavily reverbed backing of swirling organ drone and what sounds suspiciously like a concrete drill doin' its nasty concrete drill type o' t'ing! Meanwhile, the squelchy "Discotheque Repetition" does what it says on the tin, featuring some cheeky nods to "Blue Monday" towards the end.
   John Tree feat. The KBC - can't say I was at all familiar with UK indie sorts The KBC before I heard JT's gentle, ambient deconstruction of one of their tunes. Looks like most of their albums only ever came out in Japan. Anyways - what we got here . . . nicely chiming guitar, xylophone and thumb piano loops under lovely, warming synth washes for the most part, bringing to mind the Pilzin Sox and Cheeky Buddhas tracks from earlier volumes. The KBC's singer is a bit nasal and whiny to my ears, but thankfully he doesn't intrude on the music too much.
   Nil By Nose - Mr. Anderson's "Contacting Hassocks" is a droning industrial collage, which begins in a fairly abrasive manner, the foreground of the piece being dominated by insane chirping synths and Tannoy tones. It brightens up circa the three minute mark, with cosmic, Michael Stearns-y key work projecting shafts of light through the chaos.
   The Melodramatic Monkey - TMM's last godspunk contribution to date is also my fave, opening in a cool, atonal jazz funk / fusion zone, all quacking baritone sax and sleazy 42nd Street organ, after which a flute ups the sleaze quotient, taking things into full porn soundtrack territory! Before long the piece morphs into a NWW-esque ambient collage of sampled vocals, then a barrage of drums and cut-up trumpet loops take over for a time. To finish we get a reprise of the jazz funkin', this time overlaid with a slimy wah guitar solo - very nice!
   The Flesheaters - The Flesheaters' second and final godspunk appearance comes in the form of some good ol' "Graveyard Love" - a bluesy three chord jangler with noticeably less zombified vocals than their previous contribution.
   Dimm D3ciple - another disappointing contribution from DD, "The Prozac Song" is actually a cover of Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds", made up of pitched-down vocals, a simple beat and a bit of half-baked synth . . . sorry, not feeling this one at all . . .
   Shaun Robert - this chap has been active in the underground for a long time, also releasing music under aliases such as factor X and as part of Mutant Beatniks. "Portal", his godspunk debut, is an excellent avant soundscape of primitive drumming, buzzing guitar, sleepwalker vox and haunted space station synths, which never quite settles into being either a song or a collage. Interesting!
   Conclusion - another definite step up in overall quality after the aforementioned 2009-2011 semi-slump. Indeed, if you ask me, godspunk was on a winning streak from hereon in!

 - godspunk volume fourteen
   Howl in the Typewriter - ah, "The Girl on the Pink Bicycle" . . . pStan told me that this opening tune is one of his faves and I can hear why - simply put, this gem of a multi-part rocker is his "Defecting Grey" or "Happiness is a Warm Gun". Sublime stuff! With its synths and voices sampled from old sci-fi films, "Transmitting from Earth" is in the same ballpark as "The Body" from the first godspunk. Staying with electronic matters, if you like the ELpH vs Coil album "Worship the Glitch" and want more, then why not check out track 21, "Atrophy", to scratch that particular eerie, low key glitch itch?! Even deeper into the disc we get "Spider Respects Nothing", an utterly bizarre atonal modern classical piece for MIDI instruments and swooshing synths, which brings to mind the soundtrack to the creepy film Pin: A Plastic Nightmare, some of the stuff that Orange Milk Records has put out these last few years, plus certain Conrad Schnitzler albums like "Con Brio". Right up my alley - freaky and unsettling, in an 'uncanny valley' kind of way! "One-Eyed God" closes the CD on a menacing post-punk note . . . occasional jungle breaks and swathes of white noise synth keep you on your toes, before things get steadily more bizarre and cut-up - cool beans!
   UNIT - a very diverse and atypical clutch of tracks from UNIT this time around, beginning with the atmospheric "Sniffled in World Body Bag" and its mantric vocals, harmonica, piano, brushed snare drum etc. The brass noodle chaos of "Iris Watson" reminds me of Vertigo jazz proggers Catapilla, or maybe King Crimson circa- "Lizard", whilst the now-departed Michael Hoang offers up a pair of beautiful instrumentals for piano and acoustic guitar respectively, both underpinned by birdsong. The piano piece, "Chinese Fantasy", is especially affecting - I'd go as far as to say that it's worthy of Michael Cashmore circa- "Death in a Snow Leopard Winter". They save the best for last, though - the Fabian Fritze-fronted "Deutschland Du Warst Als Kind Schon Scheisse" is a splendid minimal synth thing, again bringing to mind Conrad Schnitzler, though in this case his early '80s 'pop' attempts like "Auf Dem Schwarzen Kanal" and "Fabrik". Wunderbar!
   Tirikilatops and all the other contributors of ultra short tracks - I'm going to hazard a guess and say that all of these are the work of the same people . . . they're all very cute and amusing and work well as insane little 'jingles' between the longer works! pStan told me that a couple of Tirikilatops members make up Seven Footsteps to Satan, who you'll recall made a hellish racket on volumes nine and ten.
   Dumb Robot Pilot - another new name this time around was Dumb Robot Pilot - the solo project of a chap called Roger, who also played with several Pumf / godspunk-related bands (The Def-A-Kators, S.L.I., Heavy Water and possibly Razor Dog). "Golden Age" - his first tune on offer here - is a nice enough, though fairly one-dimensional instrumental pop rocker with atmospheric synths and an Alex James bassline. "Mekanika" is a touch more exciting, introducing some slightly edgier guitar work and touches of funk bass, whilst "Space Bug" is a perky '70s glam-esque thing. This guy is evidently talented, but I find these pieces a little too clean and polite for my tastes . . .
   Bartles - going off the info provided inside the booklet, John Bartles went to ground circa his appearance on volume six, disillusioned by the (undeserved) lack of interest in his work. Fast-forward to 2014 and pStan included three final tunes here as his "epitaph" to the man, some - possibly all - of which are collaborations with Arpad Sekeres. The cool, lo-fi synth punker "Greetings From Ceausescu" was first released on their "Heathen Dog Likkers From the New World Order" cassette back in 1994, while "False Face Society Blues / I Cut a Mask" might be the same recording from a 2003 CD-R called "The Republic of Pluto", though on there it's just credited as "False Face Society Blues". Whatever the origin, this is another winner, with Bartles spewing Waits-ian, 40-a-day vox over a monotonous blues doom riff, the piece ending with a nicely sloppy guitar solo. Somewhere in between these we get the snippet "Callin' All Humans", with its "voice of the animals" lyric and treated drum machine. In case you're wondering, Bartles did resurface after a time on that toxic social media site beginning with 'F', though his account has been quiet for a while now.
   The Large Veiny Members - cool sounds abound in "Another Lizard is Born" - 'stuck record' drum machine thumping, Kraftwerk robovox and eventually some quiet synth work, though all in all this feels a touch inconsequential. "Sambucca Revisions" hinges on a light 'n' airy disco loop and vocoder vocals, developing quite nicely with the introduction of some pleasing synth textures - way more satisfying, even if it does seem to run out of steam a bit in the last minute!
   Shaun Robert - Mr. Robert's "Mythology" is a most curious collage of nylon string guitar fumblings, assorted scratches and squeaks of unknown origin, snatches of far-off ambience, piddle-inducing burbling water sounds, further sleep-talker mumblings, not to mention a guest spot from a certain couple of helium-voiced pigs! Very subtle stuff, but very nice!
   Nil By Nose - hmm, a "Bikini Atoll Beach Party", eh? With strontium-90 on tap, you say?! Count me in! This is a great piece of minimal, house-y techno, with odd, microtonal synths floating above a droning, Germanic loop. Subliminal additions to the rhythmic base keep things interesting, after which the loop fades and is replaced by record scratch sounds. Right near the end the piece threatens to morph into an acid house monster, though it fades before this can happen!
   Dimm D3ciple - "Theo's Lullaby", Dimm's final godspunk offering, marks the return of his acoustic guitar. The chord progression here is nice enough, though compositionally it's very basic. Some backwards guitar sounds pop up eventually, their impact neutered due to how quiet they are in the mix - ho hum . . . yeah, I know - I'm a churlish git, criticising something he penned for his kid . . . I'm just bein' honest, guvnor!
   Conclusion - another schizophonic smorgasbord of curios, oddities, detritus and some genuine gems! File this one next to volumes two, seven and twelve in that respect . . . well, DON'T, actually - it'd just look plain wrong and weird on your shelves . . . maybe just do it in your mind instead . . .

 - godspunk volume fifteen
   Howl in the Typewriter - pStan mixes things up like crazy here, beginning with the acoustic string buzz of "Woodchip of the Mind" and ending with "Three Zero Five", a sleepy, shuffly ballad with mournful slide guitar and dubby bass, which builds to an impassioned climax. In between we get a rap number entitled "Jacob Swift"- its plundered orchestral samples ingeniously synched to old skool drum machine beats, not to mention the obscure monologue / bizarre electronics of "The Toaster" and the anti-epic "Little Ball of Badness".
   UNIT - across five submissions, UNIT - by this point a trio of Fabian Fritze, Colin Murrell and Andy Martin - pay tribute to some of the latter's old schoolmates via a nifty parody of "Barbara Ann", corny 'club singer' keys, zippy instrumental prog frolics, jazzy time signatures, weird cadences . . . and more! A return to the more recognisable UNIT sound after the (mostly) AM-free volume fourteen set.
   Nil By Nose - a minimal, malevolent pulsing powers the dark 'n' Kraut-y "Grass Skirt No Pineapple", over which "elephant having an aneurysm"-esque time-stretched vocals and myriad ear-tickling sine wave buzzings fade in and out of one another. Very much on the weirder side of Carl's output and rather enjoyable with it, so it's a thumbs up from me!
   Dumb Robot Pilot - the return of Roger, who brings with him three more tunes for our delectation (well, mostly!) - "Ringmaster" is a pretty nice instrumental rocker, very much in the '90s mould, with shades of Suede and Britpop-era Blur. There's some corking FX-laden guitar work on offer here! The synth-only "Doreen" is really quite lovely and melancholic, though it's over and done in a flash . . . truth be told, I'd have preferred a couple more minutes of this in place of "Happy Smashing Fun Time", an overly whiffy sliver of pop rock fromage.
   The Lampost Gullivers - we get a pair of tracks from this UK noise rock trio - "The Tragedy of the Lampost Gullivers" begins life as a sloooowwwww, weighty stoner trudge-a-thon, overlaid with Brainbombs-ish "elephants in distress" horn work (what *did* everyone have against elephants back in 2015, eh?!) . . . after a brief breakdown, some wordless, throaty bellowing enters the fray, the track seemingly ending prematurely when a cymbal crashes to the floor! The faster-tempoed "French Disco Punks" is dominated by yet more powerful vocals and has an overall more chaotic arrangement, wrapping itself up in a little over two minutes. Sadly TLG are no more - singer / guitarist Liam Ings-Reeves died back in 2018 from an epileptic seizure, aged just 37.
   The Atom Furnace - not sure who is behind this project - they don't have any other credits on Discogs and Google just brings up a load of Flash Gordon-related results . . . oh, the mystery! I like their two tracks, whatever - "Alien Carnage" especially, with its scary, ritualistic factory poundings and garbled "Beefheart goes black metal" vocals - hell yeah! The Franken-tastic "Evil-Ution" sports more metallic hammering alongside an uber-fuzzed horror rockin' bassline and more discernible, occasionally campy vocals.
   The Large Veiny Members - "A Covenant", TLVM's sole offering, reminds me of twinkly '80s arcade game music - it floats about nicely, punctuated by shouty sampled vocal interjections and some tasty synth, though it never strays from its looped foundations.
   Shaun Robert - in "Namaste", more electronic feckery and low key vocals lead into a spot of dry violin scraping . . . this is fairly nice, though I find the track a touch less satisfying than his previous two contributions, mostly due to the all-too-brief run time hampering its sense of development.
   Nightclub in a Volcano - "Pipebomb" appears to be the work of Carl "Nil By Veiny Member" Anderson and another chap who I don't recognise - 'tis a piece comprising mostly of very warped vocals, with some additional interjections from a strange, clanking loop. Gadzooks - this is probably the most bizarre track on the whole disc!
   Conclusion - as you may be able to tell, I like this volume a lot - there are some nice surprises / new additions to the godspunk sonic landscape and very, very few weak spots! Aye - solid as a rock!

 - godspunk volume sixteen
   Howl in the Typewriter - volume sixteen gets right down to business with "FF"- a minor keyed, surf-y pStan rant, featuring a slow, psych-y breakdown and a fuzzed garage rock outro . . . "Cryptosporidium" is a low key, creepy affair - all echoed, parasite-riddled water drippings and snatches of synths and vocals . . . track 14 poses the question "How Does it Feel?", to which I'd answer "rather squelchy and synth-y to begin, though kind of proggy with it, then I got a sudden urge to break into a hoedown, lasso a mule and say things like 'yee-haw' and 'howdy pardner'" . . . in sharp contrast, "And He Ran" got me thinking about Swedish prog folk from the '70s - all o' that rustic, ramshackle snare drum and brass work, not to mention the fx'd guitar or key loop that sounds like a wheezy old accordion! The closing epic "20 Gold Pieces" begins with '60s-tastic wah-noise, before establishing itself as a groovy Madchester pisstake, replete with some gloriously sloppy glitch organ, the whole thing gradually alchemising itself into something much stranger and more atonal. Fans of the excellent Channel 4 comedy series The IT Crowd will notice that the velvet tones of a certain Douglas Reynholm have been put to very good use here!
   UNIT - the UNIT boys begin their sixteenth godspunk odyssey with "Who"- a rather wonky organ and synth-based uptempo tune, following up in a similarly chirpy fashion with the instrumental "Mia Borowy Buys a Drum Kit", which sports a defiantly anti-drum hero solo! "A Song for Imogen Boorman" is a cute piano / synth ballad with a Canterbury fuzz bass mid-section, before Dan Borowy straps on his newly purchased bass guitar for a bouncy, swingin' instrumental showcase of his own! My fave of their tracks here, though, is the last one, "Look Into the Sky" - a strange, wobbly disco prog thing, the kind that only UNIT can pull off!
   Spam Javelin - the first of three fresh projects here, Neil Crud's squad assault our senses with no less than five tracks of North Walian punk rockin', beginning with the mid-paced Pistols-y chugger "Why", followed by a couple of speedy, sweary ragers, "Fuck Off" and "Fucking Jerk" (charming!) "How Can You Die When You're Already Dead?" pits a cliche 'mosh' riff against more up-tempo shenanigans in the verses, then the sub-ten second "Life's a Bastard and Then You're Dead" thrashes and shouts at us like some kinda pilled-up loon hanging about at a bus stop!
   Nil By Nose - from muffled origins, "Let's Talk About It" suddenly erupts into white noise snare and up-front bass groovin', while "Battered Crawfish" is a reverb-heavy, dubbed-out bit of wishy-washy plunderphonic fun, sounding not unlike something J.P. Massiera might've kicked about in the late '70s.
   The Large Veiny Members - "80s Buddy Cop" lives up to its name - I could fully imagine those thumping disco drums and funky synths soundtracking some cheesy '80s cop film. It'd certainly be more effective in that context - here it just kinda comes and goes. "Blackhole" is much more like it - synths whoosh, flange and phase up in the ether, while a thudding beat enters and exits the mix as it pleases and a dosed-up astronaut mutters garbled nonsense somewhere off in the distance!
   Catholic Overspill Blame dJohn - with its echoey, lonely-sounding Spanish guitar, ethereal e-bowed electric, easy listening brushed drums and chintzy keys, this Howl remix of a piece entitled "1 Rotten Westernote Manipulated" has a curious "stretchin' out on my yacht at sunset" type of vibe going for it. dJohn later popped up as part of AWARE, as well as in further collaborative situations with pStan.
   Seven Eves - in "Horrid Beastliness", a stretch of pitch-bend synth sickness leads rather unexpectedly into a twangy theme from an imaginary spy movie . . . "Beastly Horridness" is more of the same, just in reverse! Answers on a postcard if you can enlighten us re: who's behind this project - I'm stumped!
   Higgins++ - last spotted in godspunk territory a full 12 years earlier on volume two, I much prefer his submission here, entitled "Friends of Mine". This is a solid melodic punk number with extra tight drumming, a rousing, weirdly Iron Maiden-esque chorus and enough riff / key change action between sections to keep things interesting for the song's duration. Incidentally, I found out recently that - as well as running the JSNTGM label and doing countless other things for the local rock scene over the past couple of decades - it was Mr. Higgins who put on a Jello Biafra gig in Blackpool back in 2003. I remember being in the Kraul van one evening and going past Blackpool FC where it was taking place - I saw the advert and had to do a double take . . . Jello Biafra?! In Blackpool?! At the freakin' *football ground*?! Surely not?! But yeah - it happened, and 'twas this fella that made it so! He lost money on it too - damn! I knew I should've gone . . .
   Tirikilatops - a couple of volumes on from their godspunk debut - all 12 seconds of it - the South Korean / UK trio returned with a much meatier contribution - "Snail Party (Wah!)", a slice of odd and catchy Day-Glo synth-pop craziness, with shades of early '00s Electroclash. This was also used as the opening tune on their self-titled CD-R (Must Die Records, 2016).
   Conclusion - this is another fine 'n' funky listening experience - as off the wall, colourful and unpredictably topsy-turvy as you could ever wish for a volume of godspunk to be . . . that said, it *is* sorta lacking re: overtly experimental shizzle . . . yeah yeah, I realise Andy Martin said the exact same thing upon the disc's release, but it's true! Other than that, top banana!

 - godspunk volume seventeen
   Howl in the Typewriter - crikey . . . pStan was very much on heavy-lifting duties on volume seventeen, contributing a whopping half an hour's worth of sounds! "Little Punk Kid" gets this smaller-than-usual gathering off to a cute, naive, punky poppy kinda start, followed in fairly quick succession by "Brindhuft Spocmeg", a menace-filled monologue backed by traffic noise and thumb piano, then the stop-start fuzz rocker "Failure to Thrive (Zygfryd)", which touches on the cartoon-y, dissonant riffing of Gong at times! "We don't think that the Weatherman's dumb" is the ginormous centrepiece of the CD - an insanely detailed collage of sampled voices backed by a low key acid house jam. David Attenborough goes hip hop on "The Leaves", before the metallic chug of "Corpse Van" closes the show. I suppose you could headbang along to this, though I'd advise exercising some caution - you may snap your neck if you try to keep up with *all* the time and tempo changes!
   UNIT - more school days-centric eccentricity from the UNIT chaps, opening up with a cover of the theme from Grange Hill(!), before addressing decidedly non-GH-friendly topics like Lee Perkins' penchant for serial masturbation and ornithologist Billy Harper pissing on trees and beating the shit out of people! "Chester Scores Another Goal" is the real highlight here - a madcap instrumental, with a very cool organ and brass-propelled jazz prog breakdown!
   S.L.I. - it seems like the '90s never ended for this quartet, one of whom, I'm reliably informed, is Roger of Dumb Robot Pilot fame. "Auburn Hair" harks back to pre-Britpop indie jangle, though save for a couple of sweet chord changes in the bridge, it doesn't excite me too much and those electronic (?) drums make the performance sound pretty tight-arsed. Of their two contributions, I prefer the groovy "Take Me on a Journey", provided I ignore the wayward, warbly vocal melody from the not-overly-great singer chap and instead savour its tasty guitar break!
   The Large Veiny Members - TLVM offer up a couple of minimalist electro fragments, which sound like they came direct from Cluster's cutting room floor, as well as "Pumping & Racing", which is a touch longer, but musically is equally as minimal and restrained. Lovely sounds, but the brevity-induced lack of development here is frustrating to say the least! Don't just tease me . . . this Kosmische Krautrock maniac needs MORE, MUCH MORE of your synthesized wonderment, dammit!
   New Born Nihilist / Nil By Nose - if the pounding caveman drums, cathedral reverb guitars and distant, maudlin vocals of "Tie the Captain to the Mast" are anything to go by, then New Born Nihilist represents the funeral doom wing of Carl's creative output! 'Tis an enjoyably dank dirge - not exactly up to the standards of personal faves like Mordor, Worship, Esoteric, Nortt etc, but taken in isolation it's cool! The mellow, melodic sequencer ambience of Nil's "Thinking Bread" is a touch throwaway in comparison - nice enough, with a slight African flavour, but inconsequential.
   Heavy Water - it's not immediately apparent due to the pseudonyms given inside the booklet, but going off the line-up shown on Discogs and also what pStan told me re: the groups Roger has been involved with, Heavy Water is / was made up of Mr. Dumb Robot Pilot himself, plus a trio of Hobs folk - Jake Halliwell, Kate Fear and Ging Shi-ite. Anyroad, this self-titled effort comes across very much like one of those pedal demo tracks you'd get on Total Guitar's cover-mounted CDs back in the day. The ever-so-clean-and-sparkly home studio sound (replete with yet more of those darned tight-ass electronic drums!) is completely at odds with the group's attempts at down 'n' dirty rock riff menace. Nah, not a fan of this . . . sorry!
   Conclusion - as discussed previously, with less contributors on board, UNIT and especially pStan absolutely dominate this volume with some fine, fine material . . . no great shakes from most of the other musicians, truth be told, but there's still more than enough on offer here to make it worth an occasional spin!

 - godspunk volume eighteen
   Howl in the Typewriter - pStan rallies the godspunk volume eighteen troops with "Image is Everything"- a jarring, atonal, industrialised fuzzer, which bashes shallow celeb culture good 'n' proper! Much gentler is "Protocols", which finds Mr. Batcow back in Barrett / Cope-esque psych folk territory and sports a lovely mid-section for wah guitar and synth. Imagine David Tibet jacked up on happy pills and blue Smarties and backed by "Bwyd Time"-era Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and you might get something similar to track 7, the delirious "Little Lizard"! "A Strong Sense of Embarrassment" and "One-Way Jigsaw" keep the lunacy levels firmly in the red - the former with its relentless barrage of beats, synths and chopped-up sampled voices, whilst the latter starts life as an ultra strange robo-rocker, before picking up the pace with pounding post-punk toms and howling feedback guitars. The narcotically delayed TV samples of "WeavyHeight" bring to mind "Derek's Briefcase" from volume twelve, then closer "The Eroder" is a manic jungle-y raver, powered by croaky Daft Punk-esque synth riffs.
   Nil Billy Nick etc. - Carl gives us six short genre exercises / parodies under just as many names, ranging from Nil Billy Nick's Rednex-style country-meets-Europop, to No Bum Nutella's sleazy nightclub music pisstake, complete with Vic Reeves vox and cheesy synth brass. My personal favourites are the last two - Naughty Boyd Narcissist's full-on synths, static 'n' drums noise assault, entitled "Look Ma!", and "Teal Hair" by Newly Bought Nanook - a driving, droning, Kraut-y oddity.
   UNIT - a good, solid three track set from UNIT, beginning with the engaging disco send-up "Nina on the Dancefloor", its Space Age synths and octave-jumping bass leading into a growly funk break, followed by a jazzy 5/4 section. "Miranda Passes the Audition" is another instrumental, opening with vibes, bass and uptight synth chords in 7 time, then progressing through several more intriguing sections, coming across like one of those mid-late '70s private press basement prog bands re-arranging an outtake from "Pet Sounds"! "A Song for Paul Novak" is an all-too-rare example of UNIT experimenting with minimalism and repetition - an excellent, swirling sequencer pattern (again in 7 time) anchors air raid siren synths and bird caws for a tense couple of minutes, after which Andy Martin's deadpan multi-tracked vocals enter, providing the icing on this rather Heldon / Lard Free-flavoured electro-prog cake!
   Dumb Robot Pilot - the third and final solo appearance to date from Roger is unfortunately a step down from his fairly enjoyable turn on volume fifteen. Indeed, I can only echo Andy Martin's sentiments - i.e. without the presence of any kind of vocals or lead instrument, both pieces just sound like backing tracks. That said, I like the guitar tone on the loose, dirty rocker "Panzer"! 
   S.L.I. - Roger's S.L.I. boys also paid one last trip to godspunk town, though with slightly more satisfying results. First up is "Rain Man (Electric Dub)", an East River Pipe-ish bit of home-brewed synth pop pleasantry. As on their previous contributions, the lead vocalist isn't so hot, though the piece has a charming naivety all the same. Meanwhile, "Reginald" cranks up the Britpop guitars once again - it bobs along in an innocuous manner, with shades of "Disco 2000" in the verses, though in the end it doesn't do anything too mind-blowing.
   The Large Veiny Members - TLVM sack off the shorter track approach employed on volume seventeen and provide us with something a bit more meaty in the form of, err, "Meat Balls". This suitably delicious offering is a Krautrock-cum-techno mini-epic, in which - crucially - the ideas are given ample room to stretch out, float around, shape-shift and dematerialize in bleeping blooping bliss!
   Flux of Yellow Daisies - right, OK . . . so HERE'S how you make a godspunk debut! This excerpt from a piece entitled "Rise of the Sacrificial Goat" is RIGHT up the alley of this particular noise freak! It's a crazy concoction of electronic beat feckery, "crack whore" violin abuse, chipmunk vox and assorted unidentifiable whooshings and whirrings, sounding akin to the kind of cut-up improv madness found on the early LPs of Nurse With Wound or Ghédalia Tazartès. This is EASILY my fave track here . . . fabulous! PLEASE put the full-length version of this out in some form, Mr. Flux!
   Moineau Écarlate - another wonderful debut, this time from French experimental electronic project Moineau Écarlate, whose "Ampoule gaz tête" takes in low bit-rate computerised voices and glitchy synthesizers, which quickly shift into a stretch of 'doorbell from hell' / game of Pong weirdo minimalism, complete with a kooky avant meltdown mid-section - nice, very nice! Shame this project hasn’t contributed anything to the series since, but I live in hope!
   Conclusion - this is a flippin' excellent volume, with the fresh contributors especially breathing new life into the party after the somewhat stagnant volume seventeen. Just a couple of lesser moments along the way, though these are easily forgiven considering the amount of great stuff that’s on offer too.

 - godspunk volume nineteen
   Howl in the Typewriter - I could be way off, but the creepy, droning, queasily psychedelic opener "Digital Sickness" sounds to me like a damning commentary on 'Dr. Google' culture! In "Black Cat", an insane, Residents-y bit of harmonium-drenched late night drone folk bookends a creepy, Beatle-plundering echoey collage. Uruk-hai hammerings, moody synths and plummy voice samples dominate "in whose nostrils was the breath of life?", whilst "The Glory of the Sun" features a didgeridoo drone in amidst its stop-start techno frolics! My personal Howl-light here - and probably my fave piece on the whole disc - is the closing dJohn collab "A Mill1oooooon", which finds the AWARE chap free associating over pStan's eerie NWW / Hafler Trio-esque collage of distant movie score strings, sloshing Irish Sea water, clinking metal etc. Love this!
   UNIT - as on volume seventeen, UNIT's set kicks off with a cover of a TV theme tune - this time it's the main one from Game of Thrones, done in a 'dungeon synth' style-e! Later on we're treated to an a capella reading of the old Latin chestnut "Gaudeamus Igitur", the loony funk punk of "Soul Patrol", not to mention the excellent prog folk instrumental "The Loch & The Glen", which was originally performed by the pre-UNIT Academy 23 on the scarce "Kämpfbereit" CD (Thinking Time Records, 1995). A bit of a mixed bag, for sure - maybe not as satisfying as their tracks on volume eighteen, but still worth a play if you like what UNIT do!
   Dr. Awkward - man of mystery Dr. Awkward offers up a succinct three minutes of audio entertainment across just as many tracks, beginning with "Stealing the Pennies From a Dead Man's Eyes" - a cool, spaghetti western-ish intertwining string thing - and ending with "Puttin 'Em Back", which is a psych reprise of the same theme. Sandwiched between, we get the evil synth drone and mic feedback of "This May Be a Tad Uncomfortable". I could witter on yet again about these rather enjoyable tracks being way too brief, blah blah blah, but if Dr. A. is who I *think* it is, then I'll just have to accept that they like to keep us wanting more!
   Flux of Yellow Daisies - on track 4, Londoner Tim Thompson invites us along to a "Satanic Mass" - yikes! Spooky occult chanting, creeping bass and the tolling bells of doom get things off to a suitably ominous start, only to be replaced by a neurotic power chord chug topped with cosmic synths - pretty cool, but a bit more compositional development in the last minute wouldn't have gone amiss. Elsewhere, "Insecticide Track 1" finds a loose sliver of rootsy rock groovin' running alongside a sampled intro from an Indian classical concert, the end result being ever-so-slightly reminiscent of Manfred Hübler and Siegfried Schwab's colourful, shagadelic music from Jess Franco's films She Killed in Ecstasy, The Devil Came From Akasava and the iconic Vampyros Lesbos. As the title would suggest, this piece is actually an extract from a longer work - I'm fairly curious to hear how it develops afterwards! That said, overall I much prefer Flux's volume eighteen contribution, so it's a bit of a shame he didn't donate anything here in that same unhinged style!
   Nil by Nose - "Always There" is a cute and cuddly electro miniature, all warm and cosy synths garnished with poignant xylophone tinklings and springy guitar - very "Zuckerzeit" in its overall sonic aesthetic = fine by me! "Wake Me" is pretty cool, but for me it's the lesser of Nil's contributions here, featuring mono-chordal synth, a 'toppy', cymbal-dominated electronic beat and his trademark echo-heavy sampled vocals.
   Shy Rights Movement - starting life as a four-piece group in the mid-'90s, this is now the solo project of Mark Ritchie, who you may also know as the man behind the Hiroshima Yeah! 'zine and the KAW Tapes label, amongst many other things. Both of his contributions here are excellent - "Everyone Leaves You in the End" is a depressive, Sol Invictus-ish Neofolk ballad, with raw, black metal-y electric guitar scratching away beneath the surface of some austere acoustic strumming, whilst the even sadder "Endlessly Blue" is based around icy piano arpeggios and a doleful vocal performance. Not to keep harping on about it or owt, but these tunes are just about as melancholy and downcast as the godspunk series has ever sounded!
   AWARE - dJohn's free skronk collective blast into view with "2000 in 10", a noisy Hijokaidan-style speed burst, after which "King Piranha" stumbles in, initially bringing to mind The People Band or Kevin Ayers and the Whole World with its playful brass meanderings, sparse drum thwacks and absurdist monologue voice-over. The piece gradually gets more chaotic, with doomy bass and FX-laden guitar joining the fray. Great stuff - "Escalator Over the Hill" eat your heart out!
   The Golden Gonk - ah, "Leaving the Laboratory" - my godspunk debut . . . I conceived of this piece whilst idly strolling around Layton cemetery in summer 2018 and recorded it soon after, on the solstice to be exact, just to give it that extra bit o' Pagan flava. I recall I was shooting for a Cluster-cum-free-folk feel with the opening movement, whilst the middle jam was my attempt at some ever-circling, Gong / Here & Now-style free festival riff chaos, then there's some improvised thrashing about and a pinch of malfunctioning spaceship noise to wrap things up! Normally when I do these kinds of multi-part, cross-faded pieces they end up two, three, sometimes even four times longer than this, so it was an interesting challenge to try to cram the same amount of bits and bats into a much smaller framework and still have it make at least a modicum of sense! Hopefully it turned out OK.
   The Large Veiny Members - with Fay (a.k.a. Vag) back on vocals, TLVM deliver "Hanging Like An Elf" - a piece of cool, minimal, nocturnal techno. Judging by the way it fades in and out, this jam probably went on for some considerable amount of time - the five minutes on offer here are just enough to get the point across!
   Conclusion - not sure if I'm just recalling my frame of mind when this came out, but godspunk volume nineteen sounds very much like its cover looks - splashes of colour surrounded by a considerable amount of darkness! Nonetheless, this is a FINE collection with some exceptionally strong material on offer.

 - godspunk volume twenty
   Howl in the Typewriter - "Anglerfish" commences the landmark twentieth instalment of godspunk in a mid-paced synthified fashion. Dig that hard-hitting chorus! "Freeloaders" is pStan going all 'unplugged' on our bad asses, then "Beowulf" floats a chipper vocal melody atop tribal beats and menacing key lines. Best of all is the closing tune, "Loaves of Bread" - a fuzz bass-dominated post-punk-prog monster, which reminds me of the crazy shizzle that The Stranglers used to stick at the ends of their early LPs. Indeed, that phat bass tone would do J.J. Burnel proud! All in all, a nice 'n' concise quarter of an hour of Howl goodness!
   Nil by Nose - not the finest Nil material on offer here - "Beatnicks from Space" is a campy sci-fi radio play with assorted not-overly-happening electronic stuff burbling away underneath, then "Drizzle Rider" pits deep, dark synth pad dronings against bashful squiggles 'n' tinkles and - what else - lashings of echoed vox!
   UNIT - a strong set from UNIT, starting off with "Amery Hill School" and its disturbing, candid tale of systematic abuse set to organ-heavy prog punk, and concluding with the early Roxy-esque glam thump of "A Study of Alkaline Metals". Elsewhere there's the bombastic, synth-dominated "The Quasar", not to mention a pair of Eno / Wyatt-esque organ and vocal gems, "The Greenfinch" and "Barbara's Bridge", which are just luvverly.
   Lettuce Vultures - godspunk volume twenty's only true newbies, this American group have been active since at least the mid-2000s and have built up an impressively large catalogue of CD-Rs, cassettes and 7"s in that time. "Just Stare at Your Phone" is their first tune here and I'll be damned if it ain't a freaky sliver of psych punk powered by buzzsaw guitars emanating from perennially overheating amps, reminding me of stuff like The Electric Eels, The Styrenes and even the NWW List-approved Debris' . . . err, speaking of whom, we also get a cover of "Leisurely Waiting" from their '76 self-titled LP. Not my fave Debris' track, truth be told, but LV do a good, frazzled job on it all the same!
   Dr. Awkward - shoot, I let Dr. A. off last time for only providing us with a teensy portion of a delicious sonic meal, but dammit - volume twenty's submissions are *even* cooler, so I feel obliged to moan that they really are JUST TOO BLINKIN' SHORT! I mean, who wouldn't want more of "You Make My Teeth Itch" and its tight, tense Joy Division-esque rhythm section being invaded by white noise radio static?! Or "Dickie-The-Fence Timeslip" - a bootleg-level recording of a space rock burner in full, acid-drenched flow?! Or the organ drone and gunshot drum thwacking of "Cybermonktime"?! Why, only a cloth-eared buffoon!
   Blue Eyes of the Broken Gonk - I spotted the wonderfully evocative line "A Wolf Giving Birth to Fifteen Blue Feathered Marbles" whilst reading pStan's "Life After birth" short story anthology in the latter half of 2018 and immediately wanted to record a piece with this title, figuring it'd be perfect for godspunk. Unfortunately, many months passed before I could realise any of the ideas that were sloshing about in my addled brain, then on the day of recording, *nothing* seemed to come out the way I'd envisaged! The opening was originally supposed to be a sparse improv, but ended up rather busy and composed . . . the mandolin and violin in the next bit were out of tune with each other . . . I couldn't get my guitar to feed back the way I wanted for the noise section . . . and so on! I *just about* saved my arse during the mix, but on reflection it might've been easier if I'd scrapped this bunk session and done it all again! My other submission here, "Bog-Eyed Friar", is a little Spanish guitar instrumental I had kicking about in early 2019. PS - my moniker this time around is a bastardisation of Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll, the decent 1974 'Video Nasty' starring Paul Naschy, though I didn't notice the cosmic coincidences at work until ages after - i.e. that the piece titles obviously also make reference to EYES and the colour BLUE, not to mention the fact that Naschy was most famous for his WOLFman films! Freaky shit!
   Infected Youth - another Tim Thompson alias. His first piece here, "Evil Gods of Darkness Have Mercy", has a similar feel to Flux's "Satanic Mass" off volume nineteen, with some kind of occult invocation from an old film playing over the top of more 'teeth-on-edge' rockin'. This is initially cool, but as with said previous contribution, it becomes repetitious and runs out of juice after two minutes. "Evokation of the Massed Gods of Darkness" is - for the most part - more of the same, just with the addition of a widdly pentatonic solo at the start and some rave synths. Eventually it breaks into a mosh-friendly riff, plus chanting and bells, then a splash more lead noodling to finish - much more satisfying!
   Mutant Beatniks - after a godspunk sabbatical, Shaun Robert marked his return with a track from his Mutant Beatniks project. "Cosmic Orders" certainly does a helluva lot in its relatively short playing time, taking in easy listening / surf plunderphonic locked groove insanity, grinding synths, kick-heavy waltz beats, dog-bothering mic whistles AND MORE, making up for volume fifteen's slightly undercooked solo piece and then some! Cool.
   The Large Veiny Members - alrighty, "A Salads Pucker" might just be my fave LVM track to date, in which a droning, "Cluster II"-type loop buzzes away beneath a sibilant white noise drum machine and ghostly synths. As with much of their work, it's very minimal, but thanks to all the subtle changes in rhythm it falls on the right side, never sounding like lazy repetition for the sake of filling up six minutes of CD space. A real highlight!
   TWDC (plus pStan) - "Spunknik Stink Shyte" is the 'flipside' of "A Mill1oooooon" off the previous volume, with dJohn on musical heavy-lifting duties and pStan manning the cross-fades. It opens with a whole lotta African-ish drum clatter, followed by some Tazartès-esque outsider noodle Casio chaos and bird chirps, before a "dJohn and yer granny on bongos" expletive-riddled semi-song enters the fray. The piece concludes with further clatter, which gets dreamier and free folkier as it drifts on, with some wayward winds blowing in at the end. Imagine a Dictaphone-toting Mark E. Smith stumbling and mumbling his way through an Amon Düül percussion freak out and you'll be somewhere close to this excellent submission! PS - TWDC apparently stands for 'The Wanking Denial Collective" . . . so now you know!
   Conclusion - a much 'sunnier' collection than the rather gloomy and twisted volume nineteen! As I've said about one or two previous godspunks, some of the less eventful tracks don't necessarily hold up when placed under the magnifying glass, but they do play their part re: the overall flow of the disc. But yeah - overall this is another doozy!