28 Feb 2018

The Quietus reviews Mamuthones Fear on the Corner


It reads:

A beautiful, beastly bizarro-cyclone from Italy

The Mamuthones, from whom this Italian band takes their name, are most often seen in the ancient village of Mamoiada during their annual January carnival. They drape themselves in black sheep leather, carry heavy bronze bells on their backs and wear eerie, tragic masks. These immensely creepy creatures do not dance so much as lurch through the town while their companions, the Issohadores, skip among them in their red waistcoats and bell-bandoliers, lassoing unsuspecting spectators. The origins of these bizarre and terrifying creatures can only be guessed at; it seems likely that Mamuthones the band are taking a guess, because by the sounds of this record their civilisation would be completely bonkers.


Mamuthones are a bizarre band, but not in that boundary-pushing and explorative sense that might define many of their contemporaries. Rather, they conjure their most appealing moments of strangeness from comparatively conservative sonics; they hit quick and easy rhythm, and the fact that Fear On The Corner is such a headspinning listen nonetheless is testament to this band’s abilities. The record takes its name from an amalgamation of Talking Heads’ Fear Of Music and Miles Davis’ On The Corner...

Read the rest here: The Quietus

---