Amanita Pantherina is a poisonous mushroom with mild psychedelic effects which can cause repetitive motion syndrome within humans. On the other hand, the newest album by Mossley Punk band Cabbage is anything but repetitive.
If you could bottle chaos and mix it with a little bit of punk and a lot of northern grit, it would present itself as Amanita Pantherina and there is nothing else like it. Each track is skillfully produced to allow the listener to step into the manic world of Cabbage.
The first track is an absolute belter titled “Leon The Pig Farmer.” Written about one of the bands close friends, Leon, who is a spoken word poet, it is arguably the best song on the album. While short, it winds up and punches you right in the face with its thrashing guitar and screaming vocals. With reference to Orwell and modern politics, it aligns itself with Cabbages punk ethos while setting a tone for the tracks to come.
“Get Outta My Brain”, is a psychedelic trip into the mind, with its swampy bass and overall wobbly feel it allows you to leave your body behind and float around in the empty space.
‘Raus!’ is a driving, militaristic manifesto. It embodies the bands spirit completely and is the least experimental track on the album. But that isn’t a bad thing, it’s Cabbage rediscovering who they are which keeps fans begging for more.
Usually, Cabbage songs are demanding and slimy, but I can only describe, ’I Was A Teenage Insect’ as cheesy with its choral oohs and buzzing guitars, each note crawling in my ears like some sort of annoying fly that you just can’t get rid of.
The album ends on an almost retrospective tone. The final track entitled, ‘Terminates Here’, mimics a train journey. It contrasts massively to the rest of the album, this is the closest you’ll get to a love song from Cabbage, with it’s slow and steady beat, it brings the album to a thoughtful halt. Broadbent’s haunting vocals match the melancholy of termination and feels somewhat uneasy to hear.
megbartonmcr 
Leave a comment