Released 12 October 2009
Hassle Records HOFF080LP
Tubelord were formed as far back as 2005 and they were (at the time they made this album) a trio – Joseph Prendergast (vocals and guitar), David Catmur (drums) and Sean Barnberger (bass). Our First American Friends was released in 2009 and although most of the material was new, it did feature re-recorded versions of Night of the Pencils and Propeller which had been on earlier limited edition singles releases. I think this was itself a limited vinyl release of 500 copies. I’m not too sure how useful musical labels are, but this album has been referred to as “math rock” because of the frequent use of unusual time signatures, pauses, and overall rhythmic complexity, It can be very disjointed and jarring, but always comes back to a unifying melody or chorus. The album is hard work, because just as you get used to something it veers off into something else. For a casual listener, this can be very off-putting – but fight the temptation to give up, this is an album that it really is worth persevering with. Tubelord’s lyrics are fairly stream of consciousness stuff. There’s usually some meaning somewhere, but the complexity and randomness usually means it’s just out of your grasp.
Your Bed is Kind of Frightening, is, I think, a reflection on post-coital uncertainty. It begins with the gentle repeated refrain “Sleep, it’s over…” but soon transforms into a maelstrom of noise as the track reaches its, well, climax. I’d just be guessing if I said I knew what on earth Somewhere Out There A Dog Is On Fire was going on about – the end of a relationship perhaps, and how we protect ourselves at our most vulnerable? Night of the Pencils and Stacey’s Left Arm appears to be similarly about a dysfunctional relationship, perhaps a little obsessional and fortified with drugs. Even Propeller appears to be a jarring dreams experienced when in bed with a partner (but I could be totally misreading it). By He Awoke on a Beach in Abergavenny, the relationship is over (“Shelf life, you’ve almost passed. Your sell by date is today”). I Am Azerrad references for no particular reason the author/journalist Michael Azerrad. Apparently Joe just liked the sound of the name and didn’t intend it as a death threat. The album then changes its feel totally with Cows to the East, Cities to the West, which is a minimalist comforting ditty accompanied by a single string of a guitar. [A very different full band alternative version of this song was on the One Inch Badge Split series vol4 (2011)]. Synthesize appears to be more reflections on a close personal relationship and the album ends with the title track Our First American Friends, which feels like more of a celebration, ending as we began the album with “Sleep, it’s over…”.
This album is a veritable tour de force. Don’t expect to listen to the lyrics too closely, just let it wash over you.
Tubelord were to record one more CD (Romance), before announcing in November 2012 that they would play a final show on New Year's Eve 2012 before splitting up. Joe Prendergast now records under the name Joey Fourr.
