Thursday, June 01, 2006
Mutt Ramon - Utterly Mutterly
The one thing that makes Mutt Ramon special is their ability to embrace diversity from a range of musical genres and cultures and apply it in an original way to their recordings. An indie-ish Lemon Jelly if you will. This album has been a mainstay on my CD player for a few weeks now and I still take delight in finding even more surprises on each listen.
All the tracks from the debut promotional CDR and the extremely limited edition Colin Backwards EP have been included to give more people the chance to listen to these gems. Silver Moon Boots sounds even better especially when listening through a set of headphones as there are bleeps & pieces coming out of every nook and cranny. Dog Song which I have previously described as The Associates meeting the residents of Twin Peaks at an alternative chillout night still shines with it's hypnotic, almost trance like, beat. Physically Corrupted is the best thing they have ever done and it has single crying out all over it with it's demented New Order-ish, almost industrial in parts, rhythms.
And what about the songs previously unheard? Strangers continues in a poppier vein reminiscent of Electronic or The Beloved whilst Some Day Soon and Worlds slow the pace down in a well crafted and somewhat beautiful way.
A wonderful collection of lo-fi, electronica and dare I say it simple "pop" songs which are well worth a place on in anyone's collection.
by Tom
May 2006
Mutt Ramon - Utterly Muterly
Tasty faves Mutt Ramon return with this full length album. Largely made up of material featured on their previous EPs this serves as a timely reminder of what Mutt Ramon do best. Chock full of little pop gems made up of bizarre percussion, twinkly electronic fills and odd-ball content like 'Derek Jarman's Garden' and 'Silver Moon Boots', there is an air of PSapp about the song constructions. Every so often there is a bigger hint of some other influences like 'Strangers' which is like New order and The Pet Shop Boys trapped in the musical toy department of Woolworths.
Maybe 13 tracks was a bit optimistic and a couple of tracks could have been trimmed out. But there's enough going on here to keep most people interested for the full 45 minutes.
by SB
Chucho Eléctrico
26/5/06
con los pies anclados en manchester y un abono de diez viajes a glasgow, en las canciones de mutt ramon se deja ver aquello que llamamos indie canónico y que tanto nos gusta. además de los benditos pastels, probablemente suenen a unos tindersticks más accesibles, o a los proyectos menores de stephin merritt o, en los momentos más enérgicos, a echo & the bunnymen más de andar por casa.
y ahí está su encanto, en el estilo casero de las trece canciones del disco que han sacado hace pocos meses, utterly mutterly. canciones llenas de programaciones, trompetas, violines, poemas en finlandés, juegos de palabras, otras idas de olla y, sobre todo, una actitud sin complejos que les lleva a hacer lo que les da la gana, cómo les da la gana, y encima ser molones. porque si he empezado hablando de referencias ha sido sólo para dejar claro que tienen canciones fantásticas, pero por lo demás lo más claro es que su propuesta es bastante personal. ellos se lo guisan y ellos lo ofrecen en estos cedés autoeditados, desde su mundo paralelo, la república popular de ramonia.
English Translation (Babelfish'ed)
With the feet anchored in Manchester and an installment of ten trips to Glasgow, in the songs of Mutt Ramon is let see what we called canonical indie and that as much we like. In addition to blessed Pastels, probably they sound Tindersticks more accessible, or to the smaller projects of Stephin Merritt or, at the most energetic moments, Echo & the Bunnymen more to walk by casa.
And there it is its enchantment, in the homemade style of the thirteen songs of the disc that have removed does few months, Utterly Mutterly. Songs full of programmings, trumpets, violins, poems in Finn, games of words, other goings of pot and, mainly, an attitude without complexes that take to them to do what it gives the desire them, how it gives the desire them, and above to be molones. Because if I have begun speaking of references it has been only to make clear that they have fantastic songs, but by the others clearest is than its proposal is enough personnel. They stew it and they offer in these cedés autoeditados, from their parallel world, the popular republic of ramonia.
May 2006
Simon Lancaster y Neil Johnson forman este dúo británico que, con la ayuda de Robin que manda poesías e ideas, desde Finlandia, para las letras, publicaron su primer largo este año titulado "Utterly Mutterly". En este álbum encontramos una deliciosa colección de temas pop en clave lo-fi donde los instrumentos acústicos juegan sobre arreglos electrónicos. Sin caer jamás en la solemnidad, tomandose con buen humor la vida y sus composiciones, las canciones brillan por su frescura e ingenio.
Un curioso descubrimiento.
posted by El Hombre Bombilla
English Translation (Babelfish'ed)
Simon Lancaster and Neil Johnson forms this British pair who, with the aid of Robin who sends to poetries and ideas, from Finland, for the letters, published their first east length titled year "Utterly Mutterly". In this album we found a delicious pop collection of subjects in key lo-fi where the acoustic instruments play on electronic adjustments. Without falling never in the solemnity, taking itself with the good humor the life and its compositions, the songs shine by their freshness and ingenio.
Peculiar descubrimiento.
posted by the Man Light bulb !
May 2006
Mutt Ramon Interview (English Version)
I didn't quite get it at first: I thought Mutt Ramon was a bunch of kids from Manchester writing mad pop songs while in the midst of a hangover. That was probably the effect of a prolonged exposition to "Phisically Corrupted" and its sticky verses ("my sim card is my memory/I'm corrupted phisically": can somebody get this out of my head please?). But now that "Utterly Mutterly", Mutt Ramon's first album is available, everything is clear: a detailed indie picture, mixing electronic and melody with humor, wit and a deep understanding of how an indiepop record should sound. Most of the time happy, but also capable of wistful moments, this is an album fully formed and perfected, and it shows that Mutt Ramon are no kids, despite having estabilished themselves in the Peoples Republic of Ramonia. We exchanged some emails with the men behind the band, two talented individuals called N and S (Neil and Simon, really), co-workers that were just meant to play songs together. We talked about the album, the band, the lack of a label and the guy who lives in Finland and sends them wondeful hummable lyrics like the one that's buzzing in my head right now.
A little story of the band: how long have you been playing as Mutt Ramon, where do you write/rehearse/ record stuff?? Any previous musical experiences?
S: We were both in a certain indie band around 7 years ago, and did a few gigs in Manchester. However, the band imploded just as we were getting good, and we all went our separate ways. But then a couple of years ago I approached N with a tape of new tunes, and we've been recording and writing ever since.
N : We record in the Peoples Republic of Ramonia, which closely resembles a purple dining room with a computer and a piano (and a fishtank).
S: It closely resembles a dining room because it is one - yours.
What exactly is the role of the Finnish guy? Of course you must know that having a Scandinavian bandmate is the coolest thing for a band these days?:)
S: Of course I know it's cool, although I've never actually said that R is Finnish (he's British but has made Finland his home). He has an open invitation to supply words
for Mutt Ramon songs. Physically Corrupted and Derek Jarman's Garden are his.
Did you start Mutt Ramon with an idea of where you aim to be in two/three years (like getting a record deal, gigging and so on) or merely for the fun of making music?
N: For the sheer torture of it.
S: It's my mid-life crisis. It was either release some records or buy a Harley-Davidson. And I'm too chicken to ride a motorcycle.
Your approach to indie music certainly doesn't give away your age. If it wasn't for some revealing bits of musical knowledge you would seem a band of teenage kids (and I mean that as a compliment). How do you manage to keep this freshness in your sound?
N: Thanks. We stay young through music, and in all other aspects of our lives we behave like we are over 60.
S: Not having a traditional band structure (e.g. guitar, bass drums) helps.
Bands that have to your knowledge influenced you, both in electro and pop sense. Any C86? German electronics?
N: I like Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, New Order, Human League, ...
S: I'm the indie kid (!). But I think the best way to answer this is to list the bands we both like (and there aren't many): Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, The Tiny, Strip Squad, Belle and Sebastian, Suburban Kids With Biblical Names and Gorillaz.
N: ...Goldfrapp, Fischerspooner, ...
S: You can stop now N - no-one's really interested.
N: ...Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada and Nathan Fake.
Mutt Ramon's sound: lo-fi pop-electronic with a strong sense of rhythm and predominant basslines? I wrote "they play with crazy electronic over traditional indie-rock structures", although the album somehow shifted my view on this: What's your approach to music?
N: I think you described us very well. See the next question for more...
S: My approach is to avoid guitar solos at all cost. This is because I'm really bad at them.
How's the process of writing songs for Mutt Ramon? Do you lay out the melody, the guitar or the electronic first? How do you get to the finished song (with strings for example)
N: Generally, S writes the tunes (and sometimes the words) using his guitar and then I come along and pour a healthy dose of electronics on top, and write some more words (or sing Robin's). I have a few rules, which include using synthesised basslines, and a good strong beat from a drum machine. But we sometimes break these rules of course. Luckily for us, both our wives are talented musicians (playing violin and trumpet amongst other instruments), and so we have started to use their skills more.
S: I do try to write words but I tend to give up after the first verse. Or the title. Singing la-la-la for the chorus comes naturally to me.
Songs like "Head Down" or "Strangers" makes me think you must have some dance connections. Do you have specific experiences in the disco/electronic scene?
N: Yeah, that would be me! I grew up listening only to Electronic (and sometimes Classical) music, and it took me a while to warm to guitars. Those two songs were a case of me taking S's demo of guitar and voice, and replacing it entirely with synths. Just to see how far I could get away with.
S: I've been to a few discos in my time. Ha ha. Actually, I didn't really like those songs until N rescued them.
Have the Pet Shop Boys been an influence to some degree? Do you think they deserve the recognition they have today at all? I mean, I remember back in the day most people around here (including me, probably) seemed to think they were worthless.
N: S grumbles about this, but they have been my favourite band since I first saw them perform West End Girls in 1986. They were never worthless in my eyes! People probably said the same about Sparks in the 1970's, but they (Sparks) were Morrissey's favourite band.
S: I'm saying nothing.
All your songs are terribly catchy. Is catchy something you're looking for? What's your relation to melody?
N: S is very insistent that a song must have a tune that grabs you first time and doesn't let go. He dismisses anything which doesn't do this!
S: True.
On the second part of the album the songs tend to get more intimate (ban The Dog Song of course). Did you plan the record as an emotional journey?
N: Plan? What plan?
S: Ban the Dog Song? I wish we could! I'm not sure there's an emotional journey, but I knew how I wanted the album to start and finish. The hard bit was putting the rest into an order that makes listening a pleasure. I hope we've achieved that.
What do you like to write about? I really cannot tell because I probably get about 40% of the lyrics, but there seems to be a lot of humour involved as well as more intense lines as in my favourite song "Worlds".
N: We write about all kinds of things, but rarely conventional love songs. There is humour in there, but with other meanings behind it too. Some of it is quite personal, but hidden under layers of other stuff, and some of it verging on nonsense. S's lyrics are usually about his cat though, which is a grey/blue colour with silvery, boot-like paws. "Worlds" is a philosophical love song, contemplating how long life is, and concluding that it doesn't matter as long as it's spent with the one you love.
S: I do write about my cat, but also about my wife, my children, dogs and monkeys. I haven't done a song about tapirs yet...
You told me you didn't really look for a label to publish Utterly Mutterly (Labrador of course doesn't count, as everybody - except you - knows that label takes only swedish bands:-). Do you think this will change for the future?
N: I told him they only took Swedish bands, but did he listen? If the right offer came along, which paid enough for us to retire happily to large houses in the countryside then we may be persuaded...
S: Is that Labrador's official line? Sounds a bit blinkered. I just want to ensure that we retain the copyright to our songs and recordings. Anything else seems morally wrong.
You have done things real fast: two single and an album in the space of a few months. How long are you gonna keep this pace? Do you have many tunes in your songsbook?
S: Well it's really only one album.
N: Ideally I think we'd just like to produce album after album.
S: Indefinitely.
N: Definitely.
by Salvatore
25th April 2006
Mutt Ramon - Utterly Mutterly album review
Utterly Mutterly, the debut album from Mutt Ramon is an album thats cools the soul with a lo-fied electronic resonance. The pop sound of the start of the album has negative pressure which dragging you closer and closer to the stereo trying to make out every beautiful facet of this over-complicated album. An album like this couldn't damage your ears no matter how loud you play it. This isn't maths, nor DIY. Overcomplication can only really be a positive in music like this that offers such a diverse sound that you will not hear anywhere else this year, music that doesn't need an answer, a justification or a reason.
It's aural fuel for your ears and the range of style professed throughout the album should allow us obsessive compulsive music fans to keep our hands out of our pockets for a few minutes, away from the comforting touch of the skip button. No where else will acoustic guitar, electronic drums, bizarre samples be done in such an honest, simple and unpretentious way. Get it. Album of the year so far.
And...
Every so often I will give away the best CD recieved in the previous week/ time since I last updated. I get sent it for free - its only fair to give it away.
To win the incredible Mutt Ramon album (which I feel rather gutted to part with) just tell me... what's the best possible thing you can recieve in a box? Email or leave a comment with answer & email address.
Mike Smith
April 2006
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.3
Mutt Ramon - "Utterly Mutterly" I know, I know, I don't get the name either. And to make it worse the album title is a cheesy play on words on it. (What's more the sleeve says it was recorded in the republic of ramonia..... crikey) If it's all about a dog named Ramon, why is there what appears to be a Tapir on the album cover? Your guess is as good as mine, but by now you're thinking "He bought this?" and if you're a band "He took that over reviewing my album!?" Yes I did. In this case it is the age old chestnut of don't judge a book by it's cover, because what is inside of this debut by this UK duo is an album as synthy quirky and original as I have heard in a long time. In fact it is the only thing of it's kind I can recall that approaches the brilliance of Jesus Couldn't Drum in all it's playful, varied and yet pop sensible glory. Like JCD this is a fairly varied affair, from the slightly dark but playfully danceable Physically Corrupted to the atmospheric I Didn't Realize or the quirky but beautiful quasi-nursery rhyme ballad Silver Moon Boots this is a collection of eclectic and often magic songs. Now, like JCD not everything always works, and that seems to be a matter of taste as not everyone it seems likes or dislikes the same things. However if you are the sort that likes a nice varied assortment, especially one that makes you think a bit, few things will prove to be more likeable. It was originally only a cdr release but I understand they have had genuine articles made in a limited amount. If interested it can be had here but don't let the weird art or confusing dialogue stop you. I don't know what kind of mushrooms these lads are eating, but the results they induce are nothing short of miraculous.
Saturday, April 22 2006
Mutt Ramon - Utterly Mutterly
I first came across Mutt Ramon last Autumn. At the time I thought the bands sound were best defined as a 'Lo Fi indie pop. (with) Occasional electronics.' I quite like what the band had going on. So over the past few weeks I have been giving myself time to get to know their latest offering 'Utterly Mutterly'.
Utterly Mutterly continues the simple electronic blueprint started on their early demo. This is a fuller and rounder sounding LP. It rides across several sound influences. I can hear Looper on the rather fab 'Silver Moon Boots' . And maybe a low key New Order on 'Strangers'. And perhaps the merest hint of The Pet Shop Boys throughout the whole LP but listing these 'influences' does not do the band justice. As 'Utterly Mutterly' is a mighty fine piece of delicate electronic pop that has more going on than the sum of it's parts.
On 'Physically Corrupted' the band use a whole bunch of digital metaphors. This is a great little song. Which is more upbeat and is the only song that uses the more upbeat crunchier sound which drew me onto the band initially.
The electronic pop is interwoven delicately with some simple acoustic sounds. This is probably still a lo fi recording. But unlike some lo fi sounding bands there is nothing half arsed and can't be bothered about it. This is a lush sounding LP. Which has intelligent lyrics and more then enough 'pop' sensibilities to lift this well above the run of the mill. I can recommended it most highly.
TMC
April 2006
Chi ama la musica indie conosce il confine tra lecito e illecito. Sa quando uno scherzo sconfina nel cattivo gusto, e che ci sono cose che non si fanno. In genere sa anche che è vietato sorridere troppo, specialmente se la band non si chiama They Might Be Giants e/o non è espressamente rivolta ai bambini.
Ma il cagnaccio Ramon, lui che ne sa? Nato all'ombra dei Pet Shop Boys e del più tenero indiepop d'Albione ha mangiato scatolette electro sin dalla più tenera età, si è fatto i dentini su tastiere Casio e temerarie bassline e non ha mai perso il vizio di correre dietro ai palloni colorati. Per questo "Utterly Mutterly", album d'esordio del cagnaccio Ramon, è un disco liberatorio: ha tutti i tratti somatici dell'album indie ma non cerca di prendersi sul serio ad ogni costo, innesta le sue beate melodie di ritmi frenetici o le rallenta sino alla ballata, le porta indifferentemente in pista da ballo o al pub per una birra con agli amici. E se il tapiro in copertina (la sventurata associazione televisiva turberà solo noi italiani, grazie al cielo) colto in una sorta di ghigno ne annuncia le intenzioni canzonatorie, ciò non significa che all'occorrenza il cagnaccio Ramon non sappia diventare il performer indie più sensibile nella stanza.
Un simile impudente approccio alla materia indie fa sì che "Utterly Mutterly" sia a tutti gli effetti un nuovo inizio per la band di Manchester: le sette canzoni già edite - ovvero il 100% della produzione precedente - sono affiancate al nuovo materiale senza coercizoni o punti di sutura, all'insegna di una impenitente fiducia nei propri mezzi.
Le caratteristiche? Pop da ballare, che rinuncia se è il caso alle keyboards per privilegiare le chitarre ma mai accantonerebbe il basso, una propensione per refrain circolari e strofe in rima, la ricerca mai affannosa dell'orecchiabilità e un sound che a dispetto dell'aria spregiudicata e lofi porta i segni della maturità, probabilmente derivante dall'assidua frequentazione degli ambienti indie e dalla decodifica delle sue regole principali. Ciò che ne segue è una lunga serie di tormentoni, sottoprodotti Pet Shop Boys ("Strangers") con tutta la bambagia di contorno e suadenti ballate semiacustiche ("Derek Jarman's Garden") per sei corde e tromba cui manca solo la voce giusta per diventare il sogno bagnato di ogni indiekid. L'orecchiabilità francamente irresistibile delle altalene di basso e tastiere di "Phisically Corrupted", dei violini che invadono la ritmica scanzonata di "Blue Or Grey", dell'indie-soul pazzerello "The Dog Song" è pareggiata in un attimo dalle conclusive e rotondissime "Worlds" e "Monkey Bars", archi su nudo tessuto ritmico (prima) e acustico (dopo) che rivelano senza ambiguità le doti di songwriting del duo mancuniano e la naturale, irrefrenabile propensione alla melodia.
Fatti i dovuti paragoni si potranno addirittura di cogliere nella facilità pop dei Mutt Ramon tracce della estroversione forzata degli Housemartins, sin dall'inizio più dotati di quanto le loro canzoncine lasciassero intendere. Come "Breaking Up" dei Research, "Utterly Mutterly" è un'altra perla non annunciata di questo inizio d'anno, un album bello dall'inizio alla fine che meriterebbe una pubblicazione ufficiale. Se solo la band si fosse data un po' più di tempo...
Salvatore
English Translation
Those of you who love indie music know the boundary between illicit and not
illicit. They know when a joke has gone too far, and that certain things
should not be done. In general they also know that it is forbidden to smile
too much, especially if the band is not called "They might be giants" and/or
they are not explicitly referring to children.
But the "bad dog" Ramon, what does he know? Born under the shadow of the Pet
Shop Boys and of the most tender indi-pop from Albione, he has been eating
electro cans since he was a baby. He has developed his childhood teeth on
Casio keyboards and brave basslines, and he never stopped his vice of
running after red inflated balloons. For this reason "Uttery Mutterly", first
album of the "bad dog" Ramon, is a liberating one: it has all the
characteristics of the indie album, without taking oneself too seriously at
all costs. The album features undisturbed melodies of frantic rhythms, or it
slows down. You can bring it on the dance floor as well as to the pub for a
beer with your friends. And if the tapir on the cover (the unfortunate
TV association will only disturb us Italians, luckily) seems to capture the
joking intentions, this does not mean that the "bad dog" Ramon does not know
how to become the indie performer most sensitive to poetry.
Such a naughty approach to indie means that "Utterly Mutterly" is a new
beginning for the Manchester band: the 7 songs already produced -
representing the 100% of the previous production - are coupled with the new
material without effort, indicating a repenitent faith in their own
capabilities.
So, what are the characteristics? Pop to be danced to, which gives up the
keyboards to favour the guitar but without abandoning the bass guitar,
favouring circular refrains and rhymes. They search, not obsessively, for the
catchy melody, with a sound that despite the unconstrained attitude and lofi
also bears signs of maturity, probably deriving from being familiar with
indie circles and a deep understanding of it's music. What follows is a
series of repetitions, by-product of the Pet Shop Boys (Strangers) with all
the softness and the soothing semi-acoustic music (Derek Jarman's Garden)
for 6 strings and a trumpet, to which the only thing missing is the right
voice in order to make it the wet dream of each indiekid.
The catchy irresistable music of "Physically Corrupted", the violins of
"Blue or Grey", the crazy indie "The dog song", is matched by the rounded
and conclusive "Worlds" and "Monkey Bars", which reveals the songwriting
skills of the two, with a tendency to melody.
If one makes the due comparisons, it is possible to see in the easy pop of
the Mutt Ramon traces of the forced extroverts Housemartins, which since the
very beginning were more skilled than their little songs seemed to suggest.
Like the "Breaking up" by the Research, Utterly Mutterly is another
unannounced pearl for this year, a good album from start to end, which would
deserve an official publication. If only the band had given itself a little
more time..."
Translated by Marcella Ucci
3rd February 2006
"The Dog Song" is featured on the first Take Your Medicine Podcast.
vendredi 13 janvier 2006
Mutt Ramon
Peut-on écouter de la musique uniquement parce qu’on apprécie des pochettes ? A cette question, la réponse est oui. Voici donc Mutt Ramon qui me fait un peu penser au Graham Coxon de "Bittersweet Bundle of Misery".
Pradoc
Rough English Translation
Can you listen to music and only appreciate small pockets? With this question, the answer is yes. Thus, here are Mutt Ramon which make me think a little of "Bittersweet Bundle of Misery" by Graham Coxon.
15th January 2006
Mutt Ramon - Silver Moon Boots
I talking about these guys in last weeks remedy but this is another excellent track off of their excellent "Colin Backwards EP" which I purchased this week, one of the rare times when a band is really that good that I don't badger them for a promotional copy but go straight for the merchandise. "It's that little bit special"
Buy it; i did. It's called 'Colin Backwards EP' and is an ecclectic delight of the most manageable and exceptional nature
Mike Smith
Monday, January 09, 2006
INDIE FACES: Mutt Ramon
Similar Artist: Pet Shop Boys, Postal Service, Simian
Discografia: The Boingy Man [Promo CD] (autoprodotto - 2005) Colin Backwards [EP] (autoprodotto - 2005)
Buffi cani stilizzati, un nome che non si sa bene da dove provenga (“Simon has forgotten how the name came to him...”), due musicisti di base a Manchester ed un paroliere in costante contatto da Helsinki, ed ecco pronta l’ennesima bizzarra creatura indie. I Mutt Ramon hanno al loro attivo solo poche canzoni equamente suddivise in un demo ed un EP, ma già si parla di loro nell’oceano del web, ben oltre i soli confini inglese.
Per esempio il nostro indiepop.it, da queste parti una sorta di guida irrinunciabile per chi volesse addentrarsi nei labirintici meandri della recente scena pop indipendente, ha speso elogi per Colin Backwards EP, autentico manifesto del Mutt Ramon sound. Votati ad un approccio decisamente lo-fi del suono, il terzetto perfettamente al passo con questi tempi di revivalismo musicale, convoglia malcelate passioni per gli eighties digitali nella composizione di un elettro-pop leggero e piacevole, con tanto di ritornello e melodie killer costantemente pronte a colpire l’ascoltatore. Attualmente i M.R. non forniscono notizie in merito ad un album di debutto, ma l’assaggio completamente gratuito che i nostri ci regalano dal loro sito offre il fianco a simpatici per quanto prematuri accostamenti : i Mutt Ramon suonano come Badly Drawn Boy folgorato dall’elettronica, i Postal Service sbronzi intenti in session di cazzeggio, i Pet Shop Boys impegnati in un improvvisato dj-set in un piccolo indie-club della periferia londinese.
Axelmoloko
English Translation
Funny stylised dogs: it is not clear where this name comes from (Simon has
forgotten how the name came to him..."). Two musicians and a words guy in
constant contact from Helsinki, and there you go: the new unusual indie
creature is born. Mutt Ramon have so far produced few songs, equally
distributed between a demo and an EP, but people on the web are already
talking about them, well beyond the English borders.
For example our
indiepop.it - an essential guide for those who want to venture in the
labyrinth of the independent pop scene - has praised Colin Backwards EP,
real manifesto of the Mutt Ramon sound. They use a lo-fi approach to the
sound and the 3 of them are perfectly in tune with these times of musical
revivalism. They join half-hidden passions for the digital eighties through
the composition of a light and pleasant electro-pop, with a tune and a
killer melody constantly striking the listener. Currently, Mutt Ramon do
not provide any news on a debut album, but the completely free taste that
they offer us from their website suggests nice although premature
similarities: Mutt Ramon play like Badly Drawn Boy stricken by
electronics, or like drunken Postal Service just messing about, or like the
Pet Shop Boys busy with an unplanned dj-set in a small indie-club of the
London suburbs.
Translated by Marcella Ucci
8th January 2006
Mutt Ramon - Dog Song
Catchy, the sort of song that makes you happy to be walking in the rain when this track pops up on your mp3 player. It's just a great track for January in South England! It's that little special special and that little bit different.
Mike Smith
Demo of the week
6th January 2006 - Mutt Ramon
Based in Manchester and Finland, this group plays good-humored dancey pop. The first couple songs are taken from their first EP, while the last is from their second.
Chris McFarlane & Arianne Foulks
December 2005
C'è un altro animaletto carino in copertina, ma stavolta Mutt Ramon fanno sul serio. Se del primo EP era piaciuto l'approccio decisamente sopra le righe a una materia elettropop sufficientemente morbida, nei tre pezzi di questo seguito si respira aria nuova: una relativa lucidata al sound, la testa a posto et voilà, i Mancuniani trovano posto nella nicchia di indiepop revivalista che guarda all'elettronica anni 80 con smanie di aggiornamento. Se le canzoni sono ancora infettive come nell'esordio, l'espressione musicale e del cantato si mostra composta e persino un po' affettata, tanto da far sembrare "nornale" anche un pezzo vagabondo come "The Dog Song", pencolante di basso su una bella sequenza di accordi in tastiera Casio, e in verità ancora un po' fuori di testa. La componente elettronica più che mai prevalente si accompagna ad una naturale ricerca armonica, ora non più sopraffatta da cacofonie varie: tutti e tre i pezzi scivolano via piacevoli grazie ad un'infallibile qualità melodica e ci augiriamo che procurino ogni fortuna alla band, qui alla sua prima uscita ufficiale. Prima erano soprattutto simpatici: che siano diventati anche bravi? Di corsa sul sito a comprare l'EP.
Salvatore Patti
English Translation
There is another cute pet on the cover, but this time Mutt Ramon mean
business. In the first EP we liked the decisively alternative approach to a
sufficiently soft electropop subject. But in the 3 new pieces we can
breathe something new: they have given a little polish to the sound, settled
down their heads and there you go: the Mancunians find a spot in the niche
of revival indie-pop which is looking at the electronics of the 80s with
cravings for modernisation. The songs are as engaging as the debut ones, the
musical and the sung parts are rather controlled and even a little mannered,
so much so that even a wandering piece like "The Dog Song" sounds "normal",
trickling with low tones on a nice sequence of sounds on a Casio keyboard,
and in truth still a little wild. The electronic component is very prevalent
but this is accompanied by a natural search for harmony, and in these new
songs this is not overwhelmed by various cacophonies: all of the 3 pieces
slip away pleasantly thanks to an infallible quality of the melody. We hope
that this will bring the best of luck to the band, which is on its first
official release here. Before they were most of all nice people, have they
now become also good in what they are doing? Hurry to the website to buy the
EP.
Translated by Marcella Ucci
7th December 2005
I have been listening to the new EP by Mutt Ramon over the past couple of
weeks and it is a bit of a grower especially the track "The Dog Song". I
have wrote a review of the single for Sounds XP and you can find it here.
Tom Bartlett
December 2005
Mutt Ramon - The Colin Backwards ep
A rapid fire return from Mutt Ramon and this ep named after what looks like a ceramic hooped dog beast. 'Silver Moon Boots' is all clunking beats and chopping swooshes sparingly sprinkled with guitars and vocals. Introducing the brass section at the end reminds me of several Leeds bands who have a similar kitchen sink drama sound. But the 'Dog Song' is a dirty bass-heavy riff featuring the first man-dog vocal to pass the tasty turntable this year. And it all works rather funka-discoishly well.
And the Mutts dip into their seemingly inexhaustible range of styles even further with the electro synth ballad 'I Didn't Realise' to round up another accomplished ep. Fischerspooner-tastic.
Shane Blanchard
6th December 2005
Colin Backwards EP by Mutt Ramon
Mutt Ramon are a Manchester based band although bizarrely (or maybe not in their case) they have one member exiled in Finland. Colin Backwards is the band's first proper release on their own label and follows the limited edition promotional CD The Boingy Man.
Mutt Ramon's sound could be described as lo-fi indie pop with some electronic bleepiness thrown in. But there is more to it than that especially from an experimental point of view. The lead track Silver Moon Boots is actually the weaker of the three here but still possesses depth to its melody. I Didn't Realise is a fine pop tune with a certain charm and the addition of other instruments such as a recorder helps it merrily on its way. However the star of the show is The Dog Song which has a hypnotic casio beat going up against the eccentric quintessentially British vocal style which could be explained away as The Associates meeting the residents of Twin Peaks at an alternative chillout night.
And if that doesn't grab you the cute cover will!
Head to the bands website to listen to previews of all three tracks. The Dog Song was featured in full on a recent Sounds XP Podcast.
Tom Bartlett
November 2005
They have a nice kind of weirdness, a sound that is more British than theoretically possible for a band that is one fourth Finnish, probably some records of the Pet Shop Boys at home and if they’re hip enough some from Fonda 500 or Le Sport, both a website and a blog, a good sense of humour and a name. Which, as you may like to know, is Mutt Ramon.
Martijn Grooten
(For the record, we are quite British, with our "1/5th Finn" being a British exile in that fine country (where we'd quite like to be). One of us is guilty of possessing a large number of Pet Shop Boys
records and we aren't hip enough to have any Fonda 500 or Le Sport (but will look into them forthwith).
We do indeed have the name Mutt Ramon though.)
Mutt Ramon - ep
From the very first bars of this ep you know that if nothing else, this CD is not going to be boring. Like a cross between The Research and Lardpony, much bleepiness and squelchiness in 'Physically Corrupted' gives way to a progressively harder electro, reaching the very German sounding 'The Commuter'. But just when you think that Bauhaus have been reborn with a penchant for small wooden horse/rabbit based toys, 'Blue or Grey' spills out some old skool indie jangly guitars and wistful vocals. Top stuff.
Shane Blanchard
From Planet Sound - Teletext Channel 4 P357
11th October 2005
Head Down 3.5/5
Based in Manchester (with a lyricist in Helsinki), there's no sign of the promised violin and trumpet from the quintet, but it matters little when their synths are so divine.
Starting out like Pet Shop Boys' Love Comes Quickly, it gets more intense after a key change, as the title gets repeated to dizzying effect.
Naggingly catchy, which is a hard ploy.
John Earls
From a rundown of British Lo-Fi :
October 2005
Lastly, we have Mutt Ramon, an electronic artist. Nothing too special, but very pleasant. His music sounds like it was written for a normal band, but then translated to casio and computer. Plenty of NES sounds, too ... very cute and fun. Listen to Physically Corrupted.
Nik Mercer
October 2005
Bastano due pezzi ai Mutt Ramon, singolare realtà autoprodotta di Manchester con membro esterno in Finlandia, a segnalarsi come luminosissima promessa: lo-fi popelettronico, che ammassa elementi analogici e sintetici in guise imprevedibili costruendo meraviglie su questo intruglio. Divertenti, ma anche qualcosa in più, ricamano elettronica pazzerella su costrutti indie-rock tradizionali, aggiungono voce filtrata e ne estraggono l'ottima "Phisically Corrupted", magnifico tormentone alternativo per ogni stagione, come gli Age of Jets a un party rock, che in coppia con la conclusiva "Blue Or Grey", filastrocca adulta sostenuta da percussioni e invasa da un perfettissimo coro di violino che farebbe la felicità di Badly Drawn Boy, racchiude uno dei migliori demo dell'anno. E non è tutto qui: i Mutt Ramon aggiungono al sano cazzeggio una grande capacità di concisione, non perdono di vista l'obiettivo melodico evitando di masturbare le keyboards, anche quando provano ad elevarle su piani più alti (il secondo piano, non di più) ed eterei. Lontana dalla qualità usa-e-getta che l'evidente quantità di materiali riciclati utilizzati suggerirebbe, la loro elettronica aziona il variatore di velocità e si propone in forma dirompente ("The Commuter") e malinconica ("Head Down") con uguale forza. E poi quell'incantevole animaletto in copertina...
Salvatore Patti
English Translation (non Babel version)
Mutt Ramon - an eccentric self-produced entity from Manchester with an external
member from Finland - just need 2 tracks to show they are a very bright promise:
lo-fi, electronic pop, assembling analogue and synthetic elements in unpredictable
ways, and creating marvels with this mixture. Funny, and also something more
than that, they play with crazy electronic over traditional indie-rock structures,
adding a filtered voice on the excellent "Physically Corrupted", a wonderful
alternative dance-hit good for every season, like Age of Jets playing at
a rock party. Together with the final song "Blue Or Grey" (an adult nursery
rhyme sustained by percussions and overrun by a perfect line of violin of
the kind that would make Badly Drawn Boy happy) they contain one of the best
demo's of the year. And that's not all: Mutt Ramon like to mess around but
they can also be concise, they don't lose sight of their melodic aim avoiding
any keyboard masturbation, even when they try to elevate their music to higher
(not higher than a second floor) and ethereal levels. In spite of the frequent
use of recycled materials, this is not disposable music: by activating a
speed variator, Mutt Ramon's electronics manage to be both explosive (The
Commuter) and melancholic (Head Down), with equal strength. And then that
lovely little animal on the cover...
Translated by Marcella Ucci
11th September 2005
Mutt Ramon. Lo Fi indie pop. Occasional electronics. Beats. And sometime crunchy guitars. The band are based in Manchester, England for the most part. Aside from one member who resided in Finland.
This CD arrived a few weeks ago. I played it a couple of times and then it went missing. I gotta organise this lostmusic a little better, me thinks. This morning it turned up. And I have listened to it a few times.
Mutt Ramon seem to deal in lo-fi indie music that is peppered with electronic sounds - reminding me of a weird hybrid of electronica and indie. Beats beat. Keyboards hum. Guitars Crunch. It's all decidely lo fi. It has a charm that has kept me interested. It's not brilliant but it does have a certain appeal and as a collection of demos - it certainly isn't bad - it is in fact a more than decent demo disc. Thumbs up to Mutt Ramon.
The bands website has a few edited version of these tracks for download. I think the band are worth the effort. Not sure how you get a full CD with the full versions of these songs. I am happy the band sent me a copy.
By TMC