The Scaramangas must have been having some terrifying lockdown dreams if this new song from their soon to be released new album Worthless Music is anything to go by, and quite frankly the accompanying video is even more disturbing. Its schizophrenic, unhealthy, perverse, sick, twisted, senseless and WRONG. And what’s worse is that they know it…and they’re laughing about it, and I for one wouldn’t have it any other way. Drums straight from Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” collide and crash with The Fall and Wire in a bubbling swamp while singer Paul Morricone sings or shouts or intones nonsense about riding uncontrollably on a horse with no face, while ridiculously high backing vocals repeat ‘horse with no face’ incessantly. Before you get the impression that I’m not enjoying this scary fairground ride let me assure you that it is delicious. Yes it’s kind of dark and very menacing indeed but it’s also ridiculously gleeful and silly.
The Scaras have been pretty prolific, releasing an astounding 10 albums, along with two best of compilations, and most of their output does show a tendency towards the absurd, theatrical and skewed, so no surprises there I suppose, but this is perhaps more immediate, more punk, more intense than most of their previous output and a welcome addition to their unique sound. I can’t recommend them highly enough. Always surprising, always entertaining, and a home-grown talent to be proud of. They should be hoisted high on our shoulders and paraded through the streets every year on what I am henceforth going to call Scaramanga Sunday.
‘Horse With No Face’ is available now as a digital download via Bandcamp. It’s taken from the forthcoming album Worthless Music, out on 3rd December via Wrath Records
Find out more about The Scaramanga Six on their official website
Review by Andrew Wood
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