[Note: Our translator says "Paraphrasing Greek makes my head hurt"... we believe him. Thank you kind sir!]

Following the musical blueprints laid out on Gang Of Four’s landmark “Entertainment” LP and stealing Devo’s image and paranoid attitude, Corporate MF have recorded and released one of the most radical albums of post electro-clash period. The tone of the vocals is genuinely punk in nature, verging on the level of Michael Stipe (that’s to say good, jaded, early R.E.M. Michael Stipe, not overly-sensitive late-R.E.M. Michael Stipe) and their sound is simultaneously retro, futuristic, and nervously energetic, in the same manner that the Rapture achieved two years before.

Corporate MF opt for an unpolished, amateur production, minimalist execution and a rhythm section that would impress even David Byrne circa Talking Heads’ first three years. They revisit – not ingloriously – some of the faux-disco compositions of Frank Zappa, and embrace the better aspects of 80s-style bass grooves. Lyrically, Corporate MF is concerned with bosses and secretaries, eight-hour days, layoffs and the paychecks, multinational corporations... and other subjects that preoccupied so many bands in the glory days of punk’s puberty – though these issues (and, curiously, sex) tend to monopolize the album.

Something of a side project of the Mystechs (Chicago’s astonishing electro-rockers), Corporate MF – though rooted in 80s electro-rock – shares an ideological affinity with the politicized, anti-corporate ska-punk bands that have recently been coming out of Italy and Spain by the dozens. Hence, it would be premature to crown Corporate MF as the Dead Kennedys of the 00s. Plenty of other contenders can be found scattered around the globe (particularly in the former Warsaw Pact), provided you have the will and the means to seek them out.

Many bands with a similar sound to Corporate MF have been making waves in the indie scene in recent years. But whereas the heavily-hyped debut of Ladytron has already been forgotten, this ostensibly amateur side project of a relatively unknown band shows the tantalizing potential to grow into something much bigger in the future. The opening track "Thirds Divide The Day" recalls the early, inspired work of the Specials, while "Street Dancers" is one of the better singles of 2004 to slip under the collective radar. The instrumental title track is ideal [untranslatable]. At the very least, be sure to check out this group’s website – it certainly deserves the effort! (19/01/2005) (Mars Karampea'zis)

Rating: 6 (out of 7)

BUTTERFLY-ZINE

If you want synthesizer rock meets corporate irony, Corporate MF's The Royal We does with music as Office Space did for film. When the workplace has got you feeling in a rut, lyrics from experience are shot out into a winding blend of rock melodies that will get your head bobbing with a dark smile.

PLUME NOIR

This isn't as good as it could be, but thankfully isn't. The Royal We is presented as though it were created by a bunch of Corporate MF's who wish to 'instruct' you as a corporate neophyte in the ways of the company. Production, vocals, lyrics, and execution are as amateurish as the acting in any corporate training film, which greatly adds to the album's crushing verisimilitude that slyly mocks our daily, corporate lives. As a concept, it is a perfectly realized satire, but its downfall may be its parallel of real life: I personally prefer music to be an escape from reality, and not a harsh reminder of it.

That aside, Corporate MF may be this music generation's anti-Talking Heads. David Byrne implored us to stop and consider the importance of the "things" in our lives, our place in society, our purpose in life and so on. The Royal We paints the Corporation as the answer to all of that and monotonously drones that purpose, if not happiness, is found in its service.

The Royal We would be useful as a rallying point for those whose spirit has not yet been crushed by the corporate gears. For the rest of us, it's another bitter pill…

HYBRID MAGAZINE

 

It begins with tingling synths, a sharp drumbeat and the bass twanging into action followed by the bitter and angry voice of Nicholas Dye: "shake my hand and understand/we've got a product in demand". So begins, 'The Royal We', one of the best anti-The System records of the twenty-first century so far. 'Thirds Divide The Day' ("Eight hours of sleep/eight hours of work/eight hours of play") is packed full of incisive lyrics; "keep your eyes on the dollar signs...skip lunch, wait for dinner...who wants to be a millionaire? Too bad 'cos you can't... settle down find a wife and live your life through your children". All of which are delivered in an off-hand and drop-dead cool manner, over some very post-punk sounds.

But, hold on, hold on. What's this? You want me to dance and emancipate myself from this '9-5 grind' through a band called Corporate MF? Look at them! Look at that album cover. Are you quite sure?

Well, yes. Subtlety is hardly the name of the game here, but this album is simply the best collision of synth driven post-punk noise and overtly satirical anti-office life politics that I can remember.

'Head Honcho' might sound like the worst song ever, but under some creeping bass, driving 80's electro synths and lazy drumming, it really is a quite masterful slab of crazy and dancey insane cool which ends with a meltdown of an organ and the drummer actually exploding.

Of course, the album isn't perfect and is pretty amateurish in places. Dye's vocals can veer towards the Howlin' Pelle variety and there is little variety. But I can't resist what Corporate MF are saying. Nor, crucially, how they are saying it: like a more low key Rapture, Le Tigre on the comedown, or the synths of Add N to (X) alongside the guitars of Gang of Four. It makes for a pretty fantastic combination.

SOUNDSXP

 

This is the lost soundtrack to the Dilbert TV series, the kind of music that would have fit that TV show perfectly had it only been around then. Full of the Corporate satire and cynicism that Scott Adams has made into a career with the Dilbert comic strip, this album has 9 tracks of cutting wit and sarcasm fronted by Nicholas Dye (also the vocalist for The Mystechs), with fellow band members Marty Block, Lindsay Williams, Keri Campbell covering percussion, backing vocals and synths (with some aid from Emil Hyde, also of the Mystechs).

The best way to listen to this album is with a healthy sense of humor. Sometimes some of the workplace references may strike a little too close to home for some, but it's all in a spirit of good humor, so that's the best way to take it. Musically the album does have touches of the Mystech sound creeping into the mix every now and then, but also distinguishes itself from that project not only lyrically but with acoustic drums and bass guitars layered over a much more liberal dose of synth work than in most of the Mystechs work.

Basically, if you work in any kind of office setting, you'll probably find one song here at least that you identify with so much you love it. Not necessarily for all tastes, but a cd that is certainly worth your paying attention to!

Synthpop.net

 

While they remain unknown throughout most of the First World, readers of MIC will already know the Chicago–based duo of Emil Hyde and Nick Dye, a.k.a the Mystechs, from their impressive album City Folk - an enjoyable, whirlwind tour of electronica, glam rock, and all things in between, with the band equally at ease in every genre. A few months back, MIC did an interview with Emil (Some Cherries No. 4), in which he mentioned their side project/alter ego Corporate MF (motherf***er), which is primarily an outlet for his collaborator Nick, and more firmly rooted in punk and New Wave.

So here we have Nick Dye, sitting atop Corporate MF’s hierarchy as Chief Musical Officer (with Emil Hyde listed as a consultant), breaking with the Mystechs’ policy of genre-jumping, keeping the music here very simple and linear, reflecting in his own, unique way the monotonous pace of life within the corporate microcosm.

Dense layers of analogue synths provide a slick surface for songs dominated by intense and almost monotonously repetitive rhythms, over which Nick’s detached vocals try to keep their professional cool while describing a world of domineering bosses (you get the work done and I'll take all the credit - ' Head Honcho '), blackmail (particularly the highly cynical track ‘Street Dancerss), and repressed sexual desires (' Office Fantasies'), climaxing with a personality test for a prospective employee that asks questions like "stealing from the company is okay if you feel you're underpaid... do you disagree/agree/or are you unsure?". Musically, the songs center around the driving rhythm section - its sparse, funky grooves flowing unchangingly along like the current of a river - and the subdued, almost robotic vocals, largely drained of soul. Equal parts synth-pop and rock, it immediately brings to mind 80's post-punk (except for the epic, melancholy instrumental ' The Royal We', which is more in the style of Electrelane), with only slight variations from song to song, the best specimens of its basic formula being 'Thirds Divide The Day ', 'Office Fantasies' and the dark ' Mission Statement '.

Corporate MF are billed by their label as "the Dead Kennedys of the new Republican dark age” – however, Nick Dye’s humorous, clear-eyed sarcasm lacks the musical punch necessary to drive his points home. Besides that, there’s a bit of an imagination deficit apparent in the same-ness of many of the songs – where the Mystechs’ albums overflow with variety, Corporate MF’s ideas are spread thin across the album’s roughly 30-minute running time. Fortunately, The Royal We is short enough that only the faintest suspicion of boredom can set in, leaving us with an album that, despite its obvious kinship to the 80’s resurgence, is in no way derivative and gains depth with each listening.

 

Corporate MF's sound will kidnap listeners and time-travel them back to the 1980s. Vocals by Nicholas Dye are almost as deadpan as Devo, drum patterns by Keri Campbell don't vary much between songs, and the rest is keyboards, or modified Fisher Price toys used as instruments, played by Dye or Emil Hyde. That's why the music sounds like it is from the '80s: it's got true post-punk/New-Wave styling complete with beeping, bouncing keyboards that make it a bit danceable. The Royal We is an album of interesting social commentary similar to music made by '80s artists R.E.M., Devo, Adam Ant, the Vapors, the Coolies, and many more. Just like the Coolies' Doug, The Royal We is written like a mini-opera (lyrically, not vocally), but the main character is not defined or even named as in Doug, and the subject matter revolves around office politics and sexual fantasies instead of the life of a murderous skinhead. If adapted for Broadway, it might be described as something like Office Space: The Musical.

Lyrics outweigh the music on most of the album. "Head Honcho" tells the story of the relationship between a subordinate who is forced to crack under the whip of an overbearing supervisor. "Street Dancers" features insightfulness through tongue-in-cheek and seriously sexist lyrics: "Welcome to our facilities/ Where our ambitions exceed out abilities/ We only have one corporate policy/ We've got our secretaries dancing 'round in g-strings."

Musically, the album picks up and gets more interesting on track seven, "Personality Profile." This track has lots of crashing cymbals and drum rolls instead of repeating drumbeats. It's also a hilarious take on the telephone or promotional interview, asking questions like, "Stealing from the company is okay if you feel you're under paid. Do you disagree, agree or are you unsure?" The next track, "The Royal We," is an instrumental that has two to three layers of keyboards that take turns being featured, with synthetic sounds ranging from piano to organ to synthesizer to cello. Midway through the song, the tempo slows and the cello is featured with the organ, creating a calmly spiraling ending. "Mission Statement," the final song, has strained, desperate-sounding vocals reminiscent of the Canadian band Rough Trade. The vocals, which sound like they are trying hard to search for purpose, contrast drastically with lyrics that are consistent with the typical, vastly empty, corporate mission statement.

This would be an excellent album for office and factory employees who are bored to death by their jobs, terrorized by management, counting the minutes on the clock, watching and hoping for the end of the work day. Much relevance would apply and the experience of listening to the cynicism and sarcasm of The Royal We could be truly cathartic for the oppressed working class.

Earlash

 

This is a minimalist, synth driven debut album from this Chicago band. The vocalist is slightly obnoxious and the band is a little too hung up on the fact that you have to work to make money to be in a band. Sucks that you actually have to do stuff in life I guess, but otherwise how would you be able to afford the slick velvet jackets you wear, these are the questions that Corporate MF rails against. They don't really like to offer any answers, that would be a little to political I guess, I'm not sure. So down with the man, but do it quietly with bass and moog backing you up, and don't be to witty when you deliver your big F you to the man, just say it in a bad rhyming scheme. The album has its interesting points, but you have to kind of ignore the lyrics, which is hard when there are generally only three instruments going on at one time. (MC)

Impact Press

 

Well, let me tell you a story about a band that has a lot going for it but just falls a little shy of the mark on their CD The Royal We. That band is Corporate MF and they do have a good post 80s punk meets synth-pop sound, but they really don't shine like I was hoping. The Corporate MF lyrics are bright and a bit cheeky to at times, but the entire deal is to do a business world CD and they do accomplish that with their songs about boardrooms, suck-ups and all the rest of the biullshit that goes along with the drudgery involved in working 9to5. That job isn't quite as fun as Dolly Parton made it out to be in her huge crossover hit.

So, what do we have here, well I must say that the band at time can come damn close to Devo splattered Kraftwerk songs with a bit of, no a lot of sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek lyrics that really just fall about 2 feet short of a home run. I guess my problem with Corporate MF has nothing to do with their attitude, it has more to do with the slightly sub-standard vocals that they attempt to pass off. No they are not a bad band, and they do have potential in the vocal department, but for God's sake boys put a little emotion in your vox so it doesn't sound like computer generated droning that lacks, I don't know, spunk?

For the most part this is a fun CD to listen to, but it does drag a bit in places. I like the idea, and I like the sound, it just needs some polishing and some work to take these boys out of the mail room and get a desk in the corner office of the high rise. You will find some good tracks, and then some others that if left out this may have been a much better EP than it is a full length. Corporate MF have gut to stop kissing up and get down to basics and then we may hear much more from them. There is room to grow, so take the company van, head to the country, get some WE time with the band in a secluded area and experiment with some new, and more original stuff, I like the schtick, but the vocals and at times dragging keyboards just need to be taken to the nest level of enlightenment.
( 4 Stars Out of 6 )

Rikks Reviews

 

I may have to work 9 to 5 to make ends meet, but when I finally trudge home at the end of a long and painful day, I'm not to real keen on rehashing my day musically. Corporate MF runs the workplace gamut, taunting you with tunes that discuss catered board meetings, kissing the boss's ass, and accounting fraud. There's even a cheeky organizational chart in the liner notes, mapping the way straight up to CMO (Chief Musical Officer) Nicholas Dye. Sure, Corporate MF has shtick, but the band's cold, clammy, keyboard-heavy music leaves something to be desired. Like the personality-free denizens they sing about, Corporate MF don't seem to have their own unique identity. The Royal We reminds me of Devo and Add N to X with Jello Biafra handling vocal duties. Crisp keyboards line every track, squeezing out wriggling, buzzing analog notes and modulated bends. A tight (and notably un-machine-like) rhythm section backs it all up, adding an organic twist to the robotic synths. The instrumental title track shows off the band's musical chops, with some interesting twists and turns, including a mid-point piano breakdown, but it's still difficult to really engage the track -- there just aren't enough hooks here to keep me interested.

And while I can admire the Savings and Loan-era retro-synths, it's the vocals that really killed The Royal We for me. They're notably unenergetic, devoid of pizzazz. The upbeat "Office Fantasies" isn't half bad, but when the dreary and monotone vocals plead, "Can't you see our fiscal year / Is coming to a close / Let's take off all our clothes", I turn red in the cheeks. Did someone really write that? "Street Dancers" explores the sexual synergy that oozes in the business environment, but the deadpan vocals made me want to hide under my cubicle desk. "Personality Profile" does have some life to it -- the band cleverly rehashes one of those mind-numbing interviews where your potential manager-to-be asks you ridiculous personality test questions. A spattering of electro-fuzz and thudding bass adds some gusto to this guitar-less track.

Sure, some may find it intriguing that Corporate MF utilizes campy toys like TI's Speak 'n' Math and the Fisher Price My Little Keyboard, but from my vantage point, there's already too much of this electro-techno-garble swimming in the music stream. It's a quaint idea, picking on "The Man", but I think I'd prefer to sabotage the coffee maker or spit in the iced-tea pot if I want to get off on hating Corporate America. Maybe if I keep my head down and write about something else, the Corporate MF boss-man will pass me by. There's always that tricky ALT-TAB maneuver in case he looks over my shoulder...

Splendid

 

Their name is Corporate MF and if you think this is a name that rallies against the corporate rule then you're right. Nicholas Dye (Vocalist/keyboardist/CEO), Dylan Sechio (drums), Chloe Yasdin (bass), Liam Kepheim (keyboard) and Clyde Oshina (circuit bender/keyboard) are part of the "electropunk" genre, a genre that is still evolving.

It seems as if Corporate MF is attempting to keep with the old school punk philosophy, but as with anything there were many sides to the old punk movement. In the song “Thirds Divide the Day” are familiar sounds of bass and drums while Nicholas Dye fills in the picture of the corporate day with driving vocals. It sounds like he is attempting to reveal the balancing act many of us do as we do anything at all. “Head Honcho” is my favorite song though because of the sarcastic sound within the music. This is closer to the punk reality that filled the underground club stages years ago. This is a track that the skins, skates, ska's and all punks would enjoy except for maybe the purest oi straights. “Cook the Book” is a cool Surf Punk sounding instrumental and you can easily envision the pit in your head. In this song Dylan Sechio and Chloe Yasdin have a good groove together, and while the keyboards fit in a rough way they do fit. “Personality Profile” is an interesting offering as well and the lyrics are pretty true because many companies have a type of test in which they ask stupid questions and the people taking the test often lie. It’s a classic pot and kettle. Closing “The Royal We” is “Mission Statement” with it’s almost grunge funk sound that will have you tapping your toes in your cubical while you’re pissed at your boss.

Corporate MF is a good group with a unique sound. I would like to hear some other sides of Corporate MF cause nothing is one dimensional (as this album would lead you to believe), something that balances them in their own music style and lyric style. The talent is certainly there to round it out. “The Royal We” is the best I have heard in this electropunk genre. Nicholas Dye has the perfect voice for this style. You may however get tired of the drum being banged while you listen though. It kinda leaves you with the impression that there has to be more to this band. I bet there is.

1340mag

 

More electro-punk from this brilliant record-label. I think I might be falling in love with Omega Point Records. These guys combine lots of synthesizers and post-punk and funny lyrics about corporate experiences (like getting hired, getting fired, drooling over coworkers and kissing executive ass). It’s not the best release from Omega Point Records this month and it’s surely not easy on the ears all the time, but it’s still better, more unique and original than a lot of what comes from both sides of the electronic and punk-scenes these days.

Past and Present

 

English tranlsation - see French text below

Come one day, people will have to look back upon and re-evaluate the Omega Point Records label, for behind its very Lord of the Rings-esque logo lies a cave from which emerges, at regular intervals, a parade of great artists who simply wouldn’t fit in on most other American labels. The latest thing to come out of Omega Point’s studio is Corporate MF, a hybrid of Devo and Edwyn Collins. Sometimes metronomic (“Thirds Divide the Day”) the music of Corporate MF is composed on instruments so vintage, they probably still have the needles of some Christmas tree circa 1980 jammed in their casing. While sometimes appearing ready to buy
the store of [Sebadoh’s] Lou Barlow, these rock n’ roll realtors more often go for the gilded skyscrapers of sweet, yet subversive pop (office fantasies) ready to ride the airwaves. Corporate MF shares quite a bit in common with the building depicted on the album’s cover: a great steel-framed structure which is built to last, and cannot be crossed without feeling the presence of the architects. The Royal We strikes me as the embodiment of Omega Point Records - a pleasantly surprising anomaly on the musical landscape. Mother f%cker.

A Decouvrir Absolument

 

Just in case we misinterpreted the translation, we are keeping
this review in it's original language for all of our readers of French

Il faudra que l'on s'attarde plus longuement un jour sur le label omega point records, car derrière son logo très seigneur des anneaux se cachent une antre de laquelle sort à intervalles réguliés des artistes ayant du être refoulés de tout ce que les etats unis comptent de labels. Sorte de studio trauma de la musique, omega point records nous presente corporate MF, un croisement entre devo et edwyn collins. Parfois metronomique (thirds divide the bay) la musique de corporate MF se fait de préference sur les instruments vintage, ayant encore sur eux les épines d'un sapin un soir de Noël 1980. Si avec personnal profile on se rapproche de la baraque à frites de lou barlow, nos agents de securités pour gratte-ciel vont plus souvent dans les marecages dorées d'une pop sucrée et sournoises (office fantasies) que dans les riviéres aux courants porteurs. Corporate MF est en fait à l'image de ce building, une grande structure qui est voué par sa charpente à rester longtemps, et par le temps à ne pas réussir à le traverser sans faire grincer les dents des architectes. The royal me est à l'image d'omega point records, une aimable et surprenante anomalie du paysage. Mother f%cker.

A Decouvrir Absolument

 

Strange pop music with some electronic gadgets. This is hard for me to describe. Kraftwerk came to my mind, maybe even Devo. But it also has a somehow a dark feeling to it. The headline is a little of a lie, it's not really a pop record. I was just not able to find any other description. Either I don't get, or maybe simply I don't like it, although this record has some cool moments. Hard times for a simple reviewer-mind.

Enough Fanzine

 

Am I going deaf? I know I just pressed play on this cd I have to review. I don't hear anything! Oh my God! I've lost my hearing! I can still hear Wayne in the office across the hall practicing his English. So where's the music? Wait! Is that tiny sound of unimpressive drumbeats, almost silent bass lines and sporadic synthesizers the music? It can't be. Why would a band waste their time with an entire album of almost silent, not at all powerful or stylish sound? Corporate MF fall short of their effort to be a unique sound in the pop music of today.

Their reach for a Devo-ish, electronic '80s sound isn't quite realized and definitely blends into the background noise.

Taste Like Chicken

 

Wonderfully smarmy synth-rock. Corporate MF sounds like a Smashmouth cover band playing the Ramada--except that in my imagined universe, Smashmouth wrote really good songs. A lot of that has to do with the decided absence of guitars. The basic sound is bass (yes, I know bass is a type of guitar...), drums, organ and synthesizer, with a few choice bits of noisy weirdness thrown in. The pieces themselves are basic 60s style groove rock, updated and shredded for the rigors of modern life. The sound is astonishingly dirty for such a technologically-driven band. It's a great idea; there's no good reason why these songs should be all shiny and pretty. That extra bit of aggression in the sound pays off, making the songs that much more engaging. One of those albums I kept meaning to put down but couldn't. I'm not entirely sure why I like it so much, but there's something about the sound and the songs that keeps the headphones glued to my head. Maybe it's one of those subliminable messages the Prez keeps whining about. No complaints from me.

Aiding & Abetting

 

"The workplace oriented lyrics of Corporate MF’s debut album, “The Royal We,” tackle everything from the interview process to sucking up to the boss. And while the lyrics are humorous, there is something unsettlingly realistic about them. Headed by Nicholas Dye, one half of The Mystechs, Corporate MF has a post-punk feel plus some electronics and, like Experimental Audio Research, they have an affinity for the (now) retro Speak ‘n Spell toy.

Going straight to the action, “Thirds Divide The Day” is an up tempo and likable toe tapper that uses just vocals, bass and drums for some of the action, a setup that returns throughout a number of the other tracks like the catchy “Head Honcho,” which has a real rock feel, especially with its organ solo. Continuing the underground party atmosphere, “Street Dancers” is sprinkled with the sounds from old video games and sees Dye singing “we got our secretaries dancing round in g-strings.” The first of two tight instrumentals, “Cook The Books” taps the Speak ‘N Spell toy while “Office Fantasies” is up tempo and energetic, hurrying all over the place.

Meanwhile, “Body Utility,” on the other hand, begins simply and picks up some momentum while making references not only to “Spinal Tap” (“turn it up to eleven”) but also J. S. Mill’s utilitarian greatest happiness principle. Made up of a part reminiscent of The Dead Kennedys and another part with a melodic chorus, “Personality Profile” is a stand out on “The Royal We,” catchy and worthy of multiple repeat listenings. “The Royal We” offers some nice variety; the album’s second strong instrumental incorporates strings into the mix. Corporate MF closes the album with their darker sounding and electronic “Mission Statement.”

Memorable and fun, “The Royal We” gets as much from the strong instrumentation as it gets character and tone from Dye’s vocals. Corporate MF are not just another band pissed off at 9-to-5 jobs and the corporate-run world, they are more subtle – not simply raging, so to speak, against the machine – and more entertaining, in their portrayal of the rat race. “The Royal We” is a focused and notable debut.

Plug In Music

 

Corporate MF's main rule of thumb seems to be to enhance today's sounds with yesterday's coolest decorative touches. To that end, they hit you some sharp-edged grooves and deep bass, wrapped in nicely constructed tunes, and lace it with comfortable and familiar sounds from the 80s, like analogue synths (bleeep blooop!), and even 60s sounds, like what sounds like a Voxx Continental organ (mmm.. swiiirrrlll! Think Animals or Doors). Every track finds some marriage of old and new, and that meeting point is a hook in itself. Add to that the other natural, simple hooks (the best kind), and you've got a CD in high rotation.

The songs themselves defy categorization. They'd fit in amongst your electronica if it weren't for the sincere vocals (featuring lyrics that are actually interesting!) and live instruments mixed in with the synths. It'd blend okay with your down-tempo rock CDs if not for those jumpin' tunes mixed in here and there, not to mention the pulsing low frequencies and the sawtooth synths. Relax. Crossover is beautiful.

Looks like the team of Nicholas Dye and Emil Hyde have created another winner for Omega Point Records. Hyde and a small army of guests, including Dye, record for the label as The Mystechs, and you should probably be checking that out as well.

Cosmik Debris

 

“Gritty synthesizers and an edgy post-punk rhythm section bolster scathing satire on Corporate MF’s debut LP. Highlights include ‘Street Dancers’ and 'Personality Profile.’ RIYD: The Rapture, Dead Kennedys, Devo. FCC CLEAN!” Somewhere in a boardroom filled with eager A&R beavers, this description made sense, so stickers were printed up and slapped on promo copies to be sent out into mercilessly cynical hands, not unlike my own. But look, I’m going to give myself the benefit of the doubt here and saying that I’m just calling things as they are. They’re not like Devo because they’ve no proper sense of irony or satire -- they’re simplistically and stupidly earnest. They lack the acerbic wit of the Dead Kennedys, to say nothing of the sonic qualities and the drummer is far, far, far too weak and amateurish to come near capturing the backbeat necessary to make them sound anything like the Rapture. The album’s politicking is asinine at best, music is so lacking in direction or purpose that it succumbs to boredom before the listener can. The fucking artwork is smacks so heavy of the, “Hey, let’s satirize the corporate world by wearing business suits in front of an office building and making the liner notes into a ‘board of directors’” shtick that I was halfway disappointed when Frodus didn’t come out of the speakers. And honestly, with that band’s successful transfer of power from Devo, not to mention their excellent cover of 'Explosions” on Conglomerate International, why even bother with these schmucks?

Bandoppler

Assembling a massive juggernaut fueled by synthesizer and punk, Corporate MF will be a hit-or-miss for most casual music listeners. The main reason is the vocals, which croon at the more nasal and challenged groove, but perhaps the sound could be too challenging for some—this isn’t your “The” band sound or what’s on the radio. Of course that’s not a mistake or a fault whatsoever, in fact it’s the saving grace of the album. As the band’s name suggests these are not your typical music industry corporate whores; indeed not many would go the route of fusing electro and punk together and not cough up repeatable Weezer or The Cars tunes. Perhaps even better than the futuristic song-craft is the lyrics, which boast of tales of the disgruntled victims of downsizing and outsourcing. “The Royal We” is certainly a good listen worthy of repeats.

Smother

 

I’ve discovered that one of the deal-breakers of electronic rock is the vocals. Yes, those analogs are cool, and yes, creating electronic rock is a great excuse to use a Nintendo and a Speak’N’Spell as instruments. But really, those vocals are the glue of the songs. If you want dreamy, swoony, lush electronica, you need dreamy vocals (Hello, Beta Band, Simian). If you want crunchy, robotic electronica, you need robotic vocals (Hello, Trans Am). Corporate MF bravely walk that difficult sub-genre line, combining electronic and organic instruments (Hello, Stereolab, countless bands on Thrill Jockey Records), but where their music for the most part succeeds, the tuneless, monotonous vocals don’t hold up their end of the bargain.

Well, they don’t totally fail, per se. It’s passable stuff, considering electro-post-punk wasn’t built on the strength of golden-voiced choirboys. But it’s safe to say the synth-plinking and bleep-dropping are in one room and the vocals are in another. If you’re going to have gritty synths, then enforce it with gritty vocals. If you are going to write “the system sucks”-type lyrics and attempt to break down the cubical walls, then sing with some conviction!

The Good – Two instrumental tracks. “Cook The Books” and “The Royal We” are pretty cool.

The Bad – You should know by now.

The Ugly – “Personality Profile”, in which the lyrics are read directly from a personality profile sheet, leave me feeling uncomfortable, to say the least.

Now Wave

Given how so much of our modern, first-world lives is dominated by corporations – whether we’re slaving away for one, buying our food or clothing from one, or standing by helplessly while corporations plunder the environment and sabotage democracy – it’s surprising how few bands really explore the corporate world in any kind of depth. Maybe it’s the inherent difficult of making ugly cubicles, pointless paperwork, and annoying, micro-managing bosses sexy enough for rock n’ roll… I mean, we all may laugh at Dilbert, but do any of us really want to sit and listen to Dilbert sing? Yet somehow, incredibly (and with all due respect to Corporate Avenger, The Busboys, and Angie Reed) Corporate MF has become perhaps the first band to take the oppressive banality of corporate culture and really make it boogie for the entire length of an LP.

Dancey, catchy and lyrically brilliant are the main elements that make up CORPORATE MF. This album seems to live up to the name of the band in some ways as it seems to be bent on politics, corporate structures and society based standards. It is quite the interesting album if you really listen to the lyrics and try not to get caught up in the overly attractive music! I'd say that this album would probably fit into the pop rock genre but there are noticeable elements of electronics and drum n' bass types of sounds scattered throughout. I absolutely love the graphic work done for the album covers and sleeves because it is simple and effective. Overall, this is a fun album to listen to for it has its ultra-catchy elements and overall blend of CORPORATE MF originality. Rating: 10/10 [Wednesday Elektra]

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