Polkadot Cadaver
Purgatory Dance Party Rotten Records

by Derric Miller
Staff Writer

Comments: "Satan! Satan! Satan! Satan …" ends the album, ad infinitum, chanted in a techno, geekoid voice. Now, that's not the ONLY thing you need to know about Polkadot Cadaver's new release, the charming Purgatory Dance Party, but it's probably the funniest.

Polkadot Cadaver is basically the exhumed remains of Dog Fashion Disco, with the triumvirate of Todd Smith (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards), Jasan Stapp (guitars, bass, cello, drums, keyboards) and John Ensminger (live drums). It's the same dudes, under a different name and an if-possible more playful vibe. Their new CD is at once nonsensical and defining, basically because there aren't too many musicians who can make sense of chaos quite like Polkadot Cadaver.

You'll know it's Christmas time when you hear "Haunted Holiday." It's almost Toad the Wet Sprocket-melodic, an acoustic composition with bells jangling in the background. Smith sings with an adept falsetto, laying out lines like, "Who needs a death wish, when all I want is you?" If you don't know what to expect from Polkadot Cadaver, well, you wouldn't expect this. It's funny and beautiful.

To keep up with the holiday theme, "Wolf in Jesus Skin" is up next. This speeds things up, with driving keyboards and "polka" bounciness. Smith adds a phlegmy, lower edge to his voice, sort of like Rammstein. As is growing increasingly popular, organized religion of all kinds is taking a beating, and Polkadot Cadaver lays it on thick with sentiments like, "Do you remember on that day we took you off of that cross and shot your ashes into space," "The resurrections were all faked," and "As you begin to shapeshift into (a) Christ-like cartoon." In other words … Happy Birthday Jesus!

Put on your disco pants for the title track, "Purgatory Dance Party." This owns an excessively danceable beat, with Smith again using his falsetto to soften the blow. Who else could ever get away with scribing lines like, "Ghandi go pour us a couple whiskeys; you know you my nigga!"

You'll find yourself heading back to the '80s with "Long Strange Trip to Paradise." Think of it as David Bowie, Devo, The Talking Heads and some pissed off acid freak getting together to write a song. It's not quite what could be described as "good," but it's definitely "interesting," as is everything they do.

"Chloroform Girl" is another acoustic-led dandy. The talent these guys flaunt is frankly impressive -- not since Faith No More has a band been able to play anything and everything this well. Even John Lennon would dig this track … as long as he didn't delve into the lyrics. Sentences like, "It's been three years since you've seen the sunlight … bound, gagged and chained up in my basement," might irk him. Mazel Tov!

The entire CD conveys this same schizophrenic purpose. Sometimes heavy, sometimes haunting, but always nutso, Purgatory Dance Party is a freakishly superior release. If you don't find yourself screaming, "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!" when you are done listening to this album, you just weren't paying attention.

www.myspace.com/polkadotcadaver

Track listing:
1. Haunted Holiday
2. A Wolf in Jesus Skin
3. Purgatory Dance Party
4. Deathwish
5. Phantom Limb
6. Long Strange Trip to Paradise
7. Bring me the Head of Andy Warhol
8. Chloroform Girl
9. What s the Worst Thing That Could Happen?
10. Brainwash
11. Pure Bedlam for Halfbreeds
12. Sole Survivor

HRH rating: 8.2/10