DAVID THOMAS & TWO PALE BOYS
18 Monkeys On A Dead Man's Chest (Smog Veil)
Reviewed by Sherman Wick

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18 Monkeys On A Dead Man's Chest is a return to form for punk/avant-garage, singer/melodeon player David Thomas. The brief reunion and tour of his first punk band, Rockets From the Tombs, seems to have re-energized his music. The icon's mid '70s punk rock fervor once again is present in his music-something that was at times lacking in recent Pere Ubu and solo recordings.

The emotional range is quite impressive, like numerous past works by Thomas. For a three-piece the band plays with enormous skill and a diversity of sound. The trio, composed of Andy Diagram on trumpet and Keith Moline on guitar and violin, accompany Thomas with oodles of electronic gadgetry. The songs range from the fractured punk rant of "Numbers Man," to the beautiful melodeon ballad "Brunswick Parking Lot." And then there's the crystalline beauty of the trumpet-driven "Golden Surf." There is plenty here for Ubu/ Thomas fans to enjoy.

© 2004 - Sherman Wick