Robert - Robert The Record

Unexpected reissue of the sole LP by Auckland's Robert, a short-lived out-growth from the ?Fog group/collective of artists that also connected with Kiwi Animal and Life In The Fridge Exists amongst others. Even within the context of obscured, geographically isolated NZ activity, Robert present as a particularly arcane proposition, and the representation of the music now feels more like a labour of love than necessitated by demand. Which, in truth, is perfectly in-keeping with the initial spirit of the project, outsiders amongst outsiders, releasing their own music and putting on shows that confronted expectations and upset a few audiences - the stage antics of guitarist/vocalist Lindsay Fog seem to be particularly noteworthy, not least when she set her own face on fire while fire-breathing. The kind of thing you'd never do unless you loved it. Musically, there's some affiliation with the more brash and/or absurdist contributors in the Flying Nun stable - think Tall Dwarfs, The Gordons - though there's also a strangely sardonic fierceness to their sound that recalls British contemporaries Three Johns, Yeah Yeah Noh and the Ron Johnson label. In short, obviously funny fuckers with an interest in both a little cognitive dissonance and The Fall. No bad place to start, and it's that kind of attitude that ensures music of this nature retains its obdurate appeal 40 years down the line. It's an appeal that also bears out in the accompanying 16 page booklet of photos and interview with the two fixed members, Lindsay Fog and Roger Fogorelli, helping round out an understanding of a band that likely never got close to one first time around or even coveted such a thing. 
 
FFO: 4Star Compilation, The Gordons, Three Johns, Big Flame, Tall Dwarfs