Popty Ping!!! The Hunt For Meaning--MC Mabon--Welsh Scene to Set to Rule

Mad Mad Brilliance

Back in the day, there was  a certain conceit about musical territories or scenes. Maybe it was earlier, but when Cobain & Co became superstars, labels began signing indie bands left and right, hoping to find the next big sensation. A corollary to this was the idea, that where there was one great band, there must be some good fishing. And maybe the easiest way for an industry person to make his mark was to find a scene like purportedly in Seattle. I thought it was funny how people were so enamored about the Seattle grunge dress code, because a t-shirt and a flannel shirt was a dress code for many of the kids I went to High School with. But what could be easier if you could find this new undiscovered scene somewhere, like a Shangri-La that you could almost take credit for yourself, and once you got there, signing bands would be like trick-or-treating in a condominium development.

First of all, a place like Seattle had a music scene that was a lot more diverse than is represented on the Singles soundtrack. Sure you had Mudhoney, Soundgarden, The Melvins, Pearl Jam but you also had the Fastbacks and The Posies. They tried to develop the North Carolina scene--but I don't think there were too many blockbusters there. Another scene that for a brief while was pushed was New Zealand, but with the exception of a few groups, there was never a tremendous amount of popularity (though my record collection would dispute that). I remember I was at a record fair in NYC a number of years ago and a rock critic there told me that he spoke to someone from Slash Records and he said "oh, yeah, that scenes is over with". It seemed a bit weird to me, as it was a whole country, and many of the groups touted here like The Chills, The Bats, The Verlaines, The Chills, Tall Dwarfs, were still making music.

Not that I'm on top of what the music industry does, but I do know that at one point they were also touting the new Welsh scene, which included bands singing in their native tongue. Though maybe a lot of these bands have not found a big following here, there are some terrific bands to be found. As the old saying goes, Y Ddraig Goch ddyry gychwyn. At that time we were hearing about Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, Super Furry Animals, 60 Foot Dolls, Catatonia, Manic Street Preachers. I liked all these bands and tried to look further to see what other artists were there. Unfortunately, it seemed that as imports, a lot of records by lesser known artist were prohibitively expensive. So I found the Ankst records site and started ordering directly from them at a more reasonable price, getting some nice samplers, and wound up investigating the dub rap of Llwybr Llaethog, Datblygu (characterised by some as the Welsh version of the Fall), the stentorian cabaret of Rheinallt H Rowlands among others. But one of the most interesting artists for me was Gruff Meredith, MC Mabon.

I heard about the album in a glowing review from Uncut Magazine, and more than likely that was my original impetus to start ordering music from Ankst. Originally a member of the rap group Tystion, he began making solo albums Nia Non, and Mr. Blaidd in Welsh, both well worth checking out. The first album I heard however was The Hunt for Meaning, an English Language record/rap odyssey. Its more of a collaborative effort than his prior records, with guest rappers and help from Rocket Gold Star. The album is sonically diverse, and the rapping is not just rote copying of American groups. I like that what they do has a real local flavor, sometimes sort of slackerish, in other cases fierce. All in all, an ambitious concept album that I'm surprised has never been released in the US.

Even though I don't speak a lick of Welsh, I really think it has a great sound to it, as I also appreciate hearing people sing Brazilian Portuguese & Icelandic. I think I get a kick out of all the consonants strung together and all the Y's. And in this case even though this album is in English it has a Welsh flavor to it. There seems to be a great pride and also a sort of madness to what they do over there. Even after years of attempts at English assimilation and domination, the culture is still there and the language is being taught to all, which is a very great thing. Get it out yo system is the opening song and its a corker, driven along with electric piano. I especially like the 3rd track Route with the dual rapping, first by the excellent Rhian Green segueing back to Mabon. Spirit Level is a nice almost dancey tune, and the anthemic People Are So Stupid is another high point. The energetic hip-hop of Cilboy Emcees is another high point. Fuck U If U Think You're Cool is another highlight, and the title basically says it all (you know who you are). Fire Within is a really nice ballad/manifesto. That leads into the final 8 minute ending song hunt, which is a bit of a crazy mess, with dialogue, barking dogs, brass bands.



From the website: In simple terms the album follows Iago Prydderch as he rejects irony and western metaphysics as he goes on the hunt for life's meaning. Along the way he encounters aliens, disco divas, the Devil, a rap relay team, the aristocracy, Chinese folk musicians, and even singing pigs before discovering the mysterious "Fire Within". By no means your run of the mill album by that description. I think if you are fan of Beck, you would really enjoy this. I just went on the Ankst site and the records are so cheap right now--this album is going for 7 pounds and you can get both Welsh language samplers (3 discs in all) for 14 pounds.

I don't know about the whole scene question, but there are good bands there. Even in the worst of times, somebody is doing something interesting somewhere. A lot of the New Zealand classic albums are currently out of print, even in New Zealand, and I am puzzled why bands like the Super Furry Animals and Manic Street Preacher are not huge successes in the US like they are in Europe. And people are getting into to bands today who are inspired by bands who were inspired by a prior generation of bands who they may or may not be familiar with. Not long ago Nick Drake and Big Star were relative unknowns (myself included), but some people had a way of finding out about them, maybe mostly musicians. Maybe the idea of scenes is about belonging, about camaraderie, maybe things that are eluding us in an increasingly isolated society where common public areas are decreasing as I prattle on. Maybe at this point in time it has become more of an attractive idea than a bona fide reality. While it is great to support local, as that's where you are, remember there is a whole world of creativity out there for you to explore.

Note: Popty Ping is Welsh Slang for Microwave Oven.