Heavy Metal can tend to be extremely cliquey in every one of its forms, and take themselves way too seriously. They typically don't intermingle unless two bands from separate cliques are booked onto the same show, and even then, you'll find groups intermingling only with the crowd that they already know. What they do all have in common is that they're most often too afraid to be wacky, zany or quirky; bizarre, odd or outlandish; avant-garde, innovative, truly progressive; or, bluntly put, fun. What the world needs are more acts that break down barriers, and show that all of these styles don't have to be mutually exclusive from one another. Flummox cleverly evade these groupings, finding a place to be welcomed by any subgenre of Heavy Metal and Progressive music, and offering a sense of inclusiveness to anyone that doesn't fit into a single group themselves.
Intellectual Hooliganism is the latest release from a band that has never wanted to do the same thing twice, managing to maintain the ongoing interest of everyone who knows of them and wonders what they could possibly do next. Selcouth was the preceding album to this one, which was incredibly flummoxing in nearly every way. I heard plenty of opinions on that one that seemed to be offended by how eclectic it was, claiming that it just didn't work. I thought it was a brilliant record, though, and I still do; and I hope that no release from this band ever makes perfect sense. They're certainly a band whose whole discography should be recognized, with no record being ignored; but if one doesn't click with you, that doesn't mean another won't click.
After a nearly innumerable number of lineup changes, Flummox has a new confidence on their third full-length. Approaching seven years of existence, the only consistent members of the band have been Alyson Dellinger and Drew Jones, and every lineup change has allowed the band to propel themselves forward and flourish in a new, unique way. This new album is as weird as ever, but in a lot of ways, it is more controlled and less confusing. Unlike the preceding album (which, again, is brilliant), it sounds like all of the band members are on the same page. The music is eclectic, but it's consistently eclectic. The music carries a singular aesthetic throughout the record, but not a singular sound.
Flummox is near-equally influenced by Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Primus, Ford Theatre Reunion and Black Sabbath, with some Death Metal and Thrash Metal influence sprinkled in when appropriate. These are, more or less, the same influences that the band has had since its inception; the only difference is that now, our Flummoxing fiends have full control over which influences seep into the music, and when. The sound is switched up enough to let the music retain your attention for over an hour, but it remains consistent enough so that it all still makes since in the context of the record.
Every member of the band now is essentially a virtuoso of their respective instruments, and the performances are extremely tight. Riffy riffs, noodly leads, wailing vocals, jazzy drums and, of course, those bass lines that would even make Les Claypool tilt his head are all to be expected here. This doesn't even take into account the weirder instruments that include synths, flute and kazoo. There's around 70 minutes of material here spread over 13 tracks, with no filler as always. Lyrically, the album touches on lighthearted subjects like love on "Raven in a Crow's Nest;" horror cinema on The Witch-themed "Black Phillip;" and there's plenty of material that details various animals on a few tracks near the end of the record.
One of 2018's finest offerings was Intellectual Hooliganism, and it's earned its place there. If you're looking for music that does something different, but without all of the pretentious overtones that come with the vast majority of experimental music, this may be a very good place for you to start. This music won't appeal to everybody, and Flummox doesn't want it to; because those of us that love it can feel like we have something in common. Whatever the band decides to do next, they will continue to build a bridge that can connect people, and that's an important thing. Stay whimsical. Stay weird. Stay Flummoxed.
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