Cabbage Nihilistic Glamour Shots Vinyl LP 2018
Tracklist:
- Preach to the Converted
- Arms of Pleonexia
- Molotov Alcopop
- Disinfect Us
- Postmodernist Caligula
- Exhibit A
- Celebration of a Disease
- Perdurabo
- Gibraltar Ape
- Obligatory Castration
- Reptiles State Funeral
- Subhuman 2.0
Faced with a band as explosive as Cabbage, it’s disturbing if unsurprising that untruths have clouded the positivity of their intent. Here are some certainties among the drama: Cabbage are a band to believe in. Compromises will not be considered. And their music is the most thrilling way imaginable to convey Cabbage’s message.
‘Nihilistic Glamour Shots’ is one of the most important debut albums of recent times. There’s been a weight of fevered expectation around a full Cabbage album, ever since their startling debut EP ‘Le Chou’ arrived at the start of 2016. Since then, Cabbage have released 36 songs, been at the centre of two media storms and played well over 200 gigs.
It’s an album that confirms these five fiercely committed, feverishly talented men as one of the most nuanced bands in years. Equally drawn to socialist politics and titting about, they’re devotees of both big choruses and anarchic totems like GG Allin, Genesis P Orridge and Butthole Surfers. It’s a mixture writ large throughout ‘Nihilistic Glamour Shots’, from the frenetic opening salvo of ‘Preach To The Converted’, ‘Arms Of Pleonexia’ and ‘Molotov Alcopop’, via ‘Perdurabo’s swampy blues and wild funk of ‘Exhibit A’ to the devastating seven-minute finale ‘Subhuman 2.0’.
Oh, and that album title? “It’s one we’ve had for a while,” says Lee. “We wanted something to highlight the paradox of how a lot of what gets perceived as glamorous is utterly nihilistic and empty. For instance, I’m no Scrooge and I love Christmas, but it is absolute nihilism in its commerciality.”
Whatever else happens, ‘Nihilistic Glamour Shots’ will have people talking about Cabbage for the right reasons. It’s as idealistic as music gets. “None of what we do is contrived,” summarises Steve. “It’s always with a bit of humour and the best intentions. There’s no bravado for us to maintain. We can’t be caught out, because we’ve got nothing to hide.”