The Functional Blackouts – The Very Best of the Monkees/The Severed Tongue Speaks for Everyone (Dead Beat, 2007)

Over about a five year period of recorded activity, The Functional Blackouts were able to create a trebly mixture of punk and noise that knowingly could only have culminated in a break up. There could be no other summation to this racket. And well, that’s what happened, but if some other avenue would have been explored, listeners may not have been privy to The Very Best of the Monkees. Not necessarily a “Best of…” compilation, but pretty close, this collection aims at bringing unreleased versions of album and singles tracks to a full length format. It’s an interesting way to end a career – although players from the Blackouts continue to haunt Chicago dives, scaring casual show goers to no end.

The bands’ entire first single is represented here, which reveals the groups initial leanings towards a more traditional, garage inflected sound. However, since we are talking about The Functional Blackouts, the overwhelming surge of disheveled punk overshadows the proceedings. This isn’t some sort of throw back outfit attempting to revel in the sounds of the Count Five. Somewhere between Bedroom Disasters by the Reatards and Erotic Grit Movies by the Piranhas, the FBs relate a uniquely Midwestern sound. Thrown in is a well placed Cabaret Voltaire cover as well as a song titled “Frustration”, which may be considered lackadaisical based upon the fact that the one hit (that term being applied liberally) from SF’s Crime holds the same title. Either way…

Similarly, “Stab Your Back” from The Severed Tongue shares its’ name with the first British punk single by the Damned – the first independently issued one of course. Regardless of that, this, the second Functional Blackouts full length, originally released on Chicago based Criminal IQ in 2006 and repressed by Dead Beat, continues in roughly the same direction. The production quality, while still remaining in proximity to the basement improves on Monkees efforts a bit. Musically this disc incorporates more explorations of noise and non-musical elements. “Heavy Breather,” getting two treatments, clocks in at more than half of the forty-five minute slab and offers at best a difficult listening journey through an experimental combination of straight rock stuffs and noise. The Functional Blackouts being label as an experimental punk band though, or whatever genre name may be applicable, seems to be a misnomer if compared to Pere Ubu, Devo or any other early punkers with penchants for a shambolic rock work out. What The Functional Blackouts do best, though, is to play primitive punk for the modern loser. Stripped down guitar lines, horrific if not occasionally ridiculous lyrics and painfully screamed vocals enrobe this noisome disc.

Understandably, playing straight punk can at time become tedious, but listening to faux sonic avant-punk can be just as trying. The songs offered up amidst their last album are as rewarding as any other punk release circa ’06. Unfortunately, listeners can only hope that the Daily Void improves to the point where there isn’t a distinction between their recorded past and that bands’ future.