BULBUL

- (the blue one? #3)

CD/LP, Trost

Following the mutation of Bulbu from a one-piece-band to a full-customized rock-trio and then incorporating horns and other instruments, more and more people joining in on the fun, an ever-growing and constant pushing of boundaries, it would have been interesting and a pleasure to watch, what would have come in the future. The sampler, tape-machine, vaccum-cleaner and other household-implements-turned-musical-instrument from the early days never vanished, but were incorporated into bigger and bigger bands and, accordingly, bigger ideas of bands, concerts and music. And it would have been wonderful, to have band in Austria, that not only shared the heavy rock-ability of the Melvins but also their creativity and potential to give life to their ideas.

Triple-12”-Eps, daylong concerts, more tape-wizardry or a pure accoustic set, folk-songs turned into heavy rock ore vice versa, a full lp of pure electronic noise or spagetthi-western-themes, nothing would have surprised me and I would have been there to suck it all in eagerly. First of all, all of that and more is already somewhere on this record; more ideas packed into one song, than other bands have on their whole record. So there really is no way to tell, where this all would have gone.

Sorry to say, but the way has lead into a split, or at least a long hiatus, since the key-songwriter and mastermind was lured into the promises of big city lights and made his way to Berlin. Well, it’s understandable in some ways. But a pity nevertheless. Well, “all things come to an end” as Nick Cave said.

Bulbul achieved to make a few points in obscurity by being obviously normal. For instance, the songs usually sound simple and straightforward at the first impression, but actually they are structurally complex and hard to grasp when giving them a closer listen. But close listening is necessary and don’t be afraid to ever get bored with that album, you will never have heard all that is to hear on here. Most of the songs twist and turn, they only seem to hold onto a guiding line or a red threat, but then they end up somewhere completely different from where they started off. Other songs just pound on the same spot for some time, untill you realize, it was you that missed out. And then, of course, there are the sound experiments, which go into all directions. Sometimes they are short sparks that come up in songs, at other times they capture few minutes and a life of their own.

Lyrics don’t seem to be of much importance, beeing merely vowels and consonants that might be mumbled over the music. Sometimes you think that you are able to pin down a few words, english or german or any other language, but even then, there is rarely some sense to be made. Just as it is with the music, the lyrics or the message of the song come more from the listener than from the band, which is a hard thing to say, but can be proven right anytime.

Another point of obscurity: This album has no name, but then no Bulbul-album has. So they were named by the public in it’s own ways: the first one, the metal-one (because of the full-metal-jacket clocking in at 0,666 kilograms) and this one, the third one or the blue one, the one that made them famous or whatever.

From time to time Bulbul made a pose of being indecisive slackers with a “who cares”-attitude, but their productivity and energy always made the pose easily transparent. Slackers don’t put together tours through Germany, Switzerland, ex-Yugoslawia and other countries. Indecisiveness doesn’t write songs, creativity and willpower do. Shrugging your shoulders doesn’t go well with a disciplined work ethic. What makes Bulbul even more likeable is that they never built huge theoretica frameworks over their music. Rock does just that, rock. And if you want to define rock, then you have already destroyed it, because it is an emotion. An emotion that may hide everywhere, that does not looko at technical ability nor does it stay away from it, but that has to come from the heart or the soul, whatever confession you choose to abide. Me, I choose Bulbul.