In the springtime fish have sex

Jazz Butcher Conspiracy Distressed Gentlefolk Polygram

My brother's friend Dan owns a chameleon. It's sitting on my left thigh; on my right is a pocket recorder playing the new Jazz Butcher album. As quickly as the lizard changes colours, the band changes names (last year adding "Conspiracy" to their moniker); the music sidesteps neat categorization. Asking Dan if he likes it (not the chameleon — he's ten, looks like Huck Finn — I know he likes that), he says, "Yeah, it's funny."

If nothing else, the Jazz Butcher Conspiracy are a bunch of very funny guys who are making some of the most intelligent (never intellectual) pop music coming out of Britain today.

Yes, the Velvet Underground influence is pervasive. But if you're going to sound like somebody, why not the Velvetsl Yes, the mood is consistently upbeat (though not chirpy, never twee). There's more than just a pinch of sage in this Butcher's stew. They're serving up a particularly potent portion of life and love in a very delicious way. How to resist, "I'll be your breakfast, I'll be your dinner... so darling Darling, I'll be your food"?

Like their pals The Voodentops, their humour and simplicity isn't rooted in blind idealism or ignorance. The collage on the inner sleeve includes such "distressed gentlefolk" as Patty Hearst, Judy Garland, assorted lab animals, Franz Kafka, cluing us in as to where their sensibilities lie. But rather than celebrating these social victims or ranting about how rotten the world really is, they've transformed some of that English angst into a two album bargain of positive popcraft.

The eclecticism which populated last year's first domestic release. Bloody Nonsense, a compilation of British EPs, is understandably less pronounced on this album. Without David J's (ex of Bauhaus, now with Love and Rockets) collaboration, the sound is smoother and, in this focused effort, relaxes with Max Eider's jazz-inspired guitarwork.

"PLAY LOUD AND OFTEN," the liner notes instruct. Right now, my favourites are "Nothing Special", "Who Loves You Now?" and "Conspiracy: You'll Be All Right" (it's worth it just to hear an Englishman — apart from George Michaels — rap). Maybe they'll change as I play it louder and more often. Maybe they won't. No matter. Join the Conspiracy: soon you'll too be singing, "In the springtime, fish have sex."

Helen Lee

Distressed Gentlefolk

We were deeply confused young men when we made this record. Max, Jones and I had all been drinking dangerously for over a year now. Generally, we had it down in concert. In just about every other department, however, we were coming to bits, individually and collectively, and to me this record actually shows the morbid state of things at the time.

Purchase Now
( www.amazon.com )

glass_records, BigTime Records