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A mysterious outfit with a bland name, Nottingham's Husband twist the art of house-bound seedy songwriting by giving it some relatively groovy basslines as well as a sweetly cynical taste in twisted verse. Husband claim to be inspired by "the wilfully lazy, the intentionally haphazard, the achievement of as little as possible", yet their self-depreciation, paranoia and skill in making the most of relatively little is the murky attraction of this record.
Made with negligible instrumentation - barring the odd drum machine and keyboard - it's a Syd Barrett-esque slant on the abnormal that makes this a slightly queasy, yet compulsive listen. It's unexpected deftness is epitomised by the lusty female vibes of Hot Body; a sharp left-turn when all routes are seemingly pointing in other directions. Husband make 'Rock And Pop' minus what many consider its core components. But plus something else entirely. We'll call it damp voyeurism.

Ian Fletcher
CWAS #12 - Summer 2003

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