On a list of things I hate most, just below people who can't spell simple words without putting numbers in them and just above stubbing your bare toe on something rusty is people who tell me that I'll "absolutely love this band". What I hate ever so slightly more than that is when those bastards are right!

You know if you're going to get along with Mindless Self Indulgence very quickly. Here's a test: Do you snigger when people talk about aids? If you see road kill, do you try to run it over again? Do you like it when people talk about sex because you have a very vivid imagination? Yes? Then you'll love MSI!

They're fast, electronically driven with a foundation in rock and I've not heard anyone in the current world of Rock who has the same range as Jimmy Urine. They truly are an interesting case because, just like Marmite, smoking and group sex, you either love it or you hate it. The very first track on the album "Backmask" is about playing records backwards and the various messages that can give people. The next track "Bitches", if taken on the basis of the lyrics wouldn't really be a good start either, "Bitches love me 'cos they know that I can rock"...well it's not exactly Wordsworth. But it's the kind of music that that traps you, stuns you, then sucks out all your blood and vital organs whilst leaving you in a serene state of hypnosis. You won't know why you like it, to this day (maybe six years down the line) I still can't put my finger on what makes it so special to me. The children's TV references are obscure and most tracks revert back to the subject of anal sex, masturbation and...well that's pretty much it.

I guess the best way to describe them would be "Shock Rock", but I would probably concentrate more on the electronica aspect because after a couple of plays through you become desensitized to their specific brand of jaunty filth. I think it's strange that in this day and age I would consider some of their work as mild when older generations may remember that Frank Zappa, Alice Cooper and The Doors were considered to be pushing limits of decency with their material and live performances. Jimi Hendrix was shocking when he set his guitar on fire, but he only really sang about Foxey Ladies and Freedom. MSI are slightly more playful in equal measures as they are infinitesimally more insulting to their fans. This is documented on the album itself under the track "F" which precedes the track "Faggot". Nope, no bundles of twigs here, no home made meaty treats either, it's all...well I'm pretty sure you can guess. It is, however, probably the most interesting, most entertaining and far in a way the best track on the album.

I think that the point of music, as is the point with art in general, is to provoke emotion. Now there are many bands and artists that provoke emotion (mostly anger at what I paid for their CD) but very few that provoke the twin emotions of intrigue and outrage. It's interesting because you might hear a line that'll offend you like "I love my mommy 'cos she f***ed the s*** out of my dad", but you'll be so enamoured with the music that you won't really let it get to you. Also, it's quite likely that if you find one bit offensive that it'll be gone within a second...The Road Runner had nothing on these guys!

At the end of the day, I wouldn't suggest buying this CD for your 7 year old, but if you're 16 and you don't look old enough to get served yet then I'm sure you'd enjoy this, I know I did.

Drew.