Clowns For Progress

Clowns For Progress, "Progress"
Last Beat Records, released: 1997
www.lastbeatrecords.com
This is a much different band than on the first record. Deano is still the lead clown but has switched to bass, nutely is gone, coco is gone and Brad Goop from the Goops is playing guitar. They also don't wear clown make-up anymore. I have to admit that I really liked the clown make-up bit. But they must move on. They also seem to be refering to them selves as CFP which I think is a lousey name. Nothing good ever came of a shorter band name. Their corporate image is very finely honed for this album with a slick 'clown eye make-up' logo, matching outfits, and matching guitars.

"But what about the music you ask?" Well the music rocks. Their new sound is a little bit more tightly wound, the vocal styling has lightned up a bit. The riff based pop-rock is as strong as ever. Several songs are excellent, a lot of the songs are good, and a few are alright. But all in all this is a very strong album. Songs about the usual suspects: lets just drive around in my car and smoke (joyride), I love you and it's very late at night (3 am). But they also break into some space age motifs with "Kiss Me on the Moon" and "Saturn Rain". "Vegas" and "Inundated Man" are two great songs that sum up what is right witht the clowns: hard driving songs about the horrors of modern life as told from the front seat of an adolecent driving through suburban America. Their guitar sound is terrific with lots of great riffs spread through out the record.

The album ends with a great Neil Diamond cover ("Cherry Cherry") and a lo-fi electronic sounding tune called "Saturn Rain". The last song, "Saturn Rain", leaves me with a nice creepy feeling in great contrast to the rest of the album. The riff, however, is a bit too close to "Gates of Steel" by Devo. All the flaws on this record are minor and if you can stand the sound of these great songs, then lets all get out there in support of the Clowns for Progress.
[BdeV 8/5/98]

Lastbeat Records 2819 Commerce st., Dallas, TX 75226

Clowns For Progress
Flipside records, released: 1995
I saw this band live in New York about a year ago and I was very impressed. The band, at the time, always appeared on stage in these matching cheap lounge tuxedos and clown make-up. But the music is straight ahead rock and roll. All in all I thought it was an interesting juxtaposition. The self-titled premier release by these guys is really great. 15 songs that almost all deliver on the promise of powerful hard hitting 1990s rock and roll. Lead Clown Deano has a great and unique voice. Some people I know who do not share my enthusiasm for this band can't seem to get beyond the vocals. But this thing rocks us in a hard and electric way. On "Hand Rolled Cigarettes" the lyrics lead us through the story of someone who is getting older and realizes the pleasures of life are small, not big and grandiose events. The power of this small song looms large. This is the best kind of art, it carries you along through the lame observations of the day and delivers it as a masterpiece. They also do a killer cover of "The Kids Are Alright" by the Who. I have nothing bad to say about this music. I hope to hear more.
[BdeV 8/5/97]