Thanksgiving weekend always feels like an appropriate time for a bit of reflection, on both life in general and the particulars of the year. Well, 2020 has been a hot mess, of course, but there is still much to be thankful for. I'm thankful, for instance, for all of the essential workers doing their best to keep us all safe, even when faced with individuals who do not subscribe to the concept of public good. But this is an entertainment column, so let's not get too sidetracked here.
On the musical front, I'm thankful that fall 2020 has brought us a new record from Quintron and Miss Pussycat. When the record was announced in September it was a happy surprise in a crappy year. In recent times the duo has been active with various projects but haven't put out a new studio record as a duo since 2011. Goblin Alert emerged in October but it took me a while to find a copy locally (remember to support your local stores, folks!). The slight extra wait was worth it; Goblin Alert does not disappoint, from the typically eye-catching and strange cover art to the gleefully anarchic music it contains.
I knew I would enjoy the new record no matter what, being completely on the Team Quintron bus for many years at this point. However, Goblin Alert marks yet another milestone in a catalog which often seeks an unexplored angle for each new record. Rather than being the usual duo effort (accompanied by the reliable beats of Quintron's self-designed Drum Buddy), Goblin Alert features a band put together for the sessions with drummer Sam Yoger (of New Orleans swamp punk band Babes) and guitarist Danny Clifton (of Room 13), plus a few other special guests. And it's produced by Greg Cartwright, whose history with Quintron goes back at least to when he added keys to the self-explanatorily titled album Oblivians Play Nine Songs with Mr. Quintron. If you are now expecting the rock quotient to be high on Goblin Alert, you are right.
Extra instrumentation aside, this still sounds like a Quintron and Miss Pussycat record, and that's a good thing. Even at their most electronic and disco-y they rock, so working in a more filled-out band context just means it rocks even more. The base remains Quintron's distinctive Hammond playing, topped with the usual blend of barbed and funny lyrical concerns, Miss Pussycat's inimitable vocal stylings, danceable songs, the occasional weird noises, etc.
It's somewhat a fruitless exercise to try to describe the Quintron and Miss Pussycat universe. The best way to really understand what they are up to is to experience a live show, because that is what makes the total package of completely unique artistic expression all come into focus: Quintron's inventions and re-envisoned vintage equipment, the costumes, the puppet show, the high-energy performance. The recently released video for the album's title track gives a good sample of what they are up to:
"Goblin Alert" by Quintron + Miss Pussycat
The "you must see the live show" idea is not at all a knock on their records, though, which certainly hold up the musical end of their big artistic tent. Goblin Alert is a very accessible entry point for those who are not familiar with the duo's work. It's got a good beat and you can dance to it. I am thankful they continue issuing dispatches from their very special world for those of us in a more ordinary one. (Rhinestone/Goner 167-GONE, 2020)
