This form Toxic Pete

Constant Velocity - CD - Muttonhead

I have to say I got a real buzz listening to 'Muttonhead' by Illinois rocksters Constant Velocity. This is my kinda thing; great music, fuckin' excellent words and a real sense of 'shit, who cares anyway!!'. They do things their way and sod the consequences!!

And so....'Muttonhead' is compelling, off-the-wall and an absolute blast! Constant Velocity play together with great unity but, more than that, they exude fun and adventure as they perform their quite complex works. The writing is kinda one-of-a-kind and the brutal trio give it everything in an attempt to pull you into their quirky little rockin' world. For me, the quirky thing is what gives Constant Velocity a real edge over most of their contemporaries; music should be fun and Constant Velocity certainly make me smile as they pound out their cuttingly sharp songs with absolute precision, great musicianship and more than a mere glint in the eye. 'Muttonhead' is clever, it's dark, it's poetic, it's ballsy, it's a stroke of fuckin' genius!

Constant Velocity, in their press pack, take time to make you think that they don't give a shit - not true, these dudes care a lot about their collective art and want nothing more than to be accepted for exactly what they are - a bloody cool outfit with loads to offer if they are only given a chance in the bigger picture of musical acceptance. Ok, so Constant Velocity are a little obtuse in the general scheme of things and that's gotta be a plus for me. They don't follow, they lead, they don't bathe in everyone else's glory, they strive to make their own way, in their own way, regardless of what trends are currently running along around them.

Constant Velocity bring fresh new fodder to the ailing manger, they choose to be different and diverse. And they benefit from their tenacity to hold on to their unique identity and their ability to re-model the well-used mould. If I have one criticism here it would be that 'Muttonhead' is a little on the short side; coming in at just short of twenty-six minutes I'd expect more from a band with this sort of talent for the sublime and the ridiculous. I'm not sure where Constant Velocity should be categorised; they aint just indie and, with elements of country, hints of folk and more than just a leaning towards rock they're a bit of an anomaly really. No Matter, it's only words and Constant Velocity have enough of those to go around already - I think you'll only get the bigger picture on Constant Velocity by having a listen yourselves. They won't be for everyone but those takers that get drawn in will find them hard to ignore and 'Muttonhead' extremely hard to put down!!

'Muttonhead' by the excellent Constant Velocity is a great example of modern genre-straddling music that borders on 'cultish' but has every chance of being picked up to become a very worthy household name. Love it!!
Peter J Brown aka toxic pete (www.toxicpete.co.uk)





http://www.whisperinandhollerin.co.uk/reviews/review.asp?id=5896

'CONSTANT VELOCITY'
'MUTTONHEAD'

- Label: 'Miscellaneous Music'
- Genre: 'Punk/New Wave' - Release Date: 'Now available'- Catalogue No: '(www.myspace.com/constantvelocity)'


Our Rating: 8 out of 10

Essentially a record that defies genre, ‘Muttonhead’ (the nickname of it's producer, Jerry Erickson) has unquestionable country leanings, as well as a distinctive ‘live’ sound that gives all eight songs an appealing edge. But essentially, this is a punk record U.S. style and that’s a fact maan!

Eccentricity and CONSTANT VELOCITY go hand in hand as this second full-length offering from the Illinois trio demonstrates from the off. The messy, ramshackle, super-slurry vocals and sometimes screaming death rattle of ‘After 4’ underlines this, a wild concoction that makes sense where there seems to be only D.I.Y. chaos.

The pedal steel anti-ode to ‘Kelly’ underlines the album’s country loyalties amidst a stick-tapping flurry, whilst in stark contrast the deep set gain-heavy guitars leave trails of feedback behind them. The resulting tension is both interesting and full of off-kilter charm.

This is no lightweight tiptoe down the middle of the road. ‘Disorder’ s gentle vocal reverb and bossa-nova balladeer tactics twang alphabetised as some strange kind of tribute to the anal retentive ways of the straight. What’s more, all attempts to ‘break the minds’ of this three piece are set up to fail against the gate-crashing power of the spoken word.

For the dastardly, there’s ‘Truculent’ (with it’s positively endearing vocal refrain “Nice Truck Asshole”!). Muddy feedback and the Valium tempo is here twinned with a mule-kicking exhibition of vocal dexterity, set deep within superb music-hall acoustics. In the space of a menacing bass guitar riff, the whole track is reborn as a jam-happy reprisal of some repute.

There are murmured garage ramblings and shimmered harmonics aplenty in the screeching dancehall echo of Pink Floyd’s ‘Time’, whilst the bass/percussion combo of ‘Lucky Double Nines’ is bittersweet and mildly psychotic enough to bend even the most cynical ear.

The eight tracks, sounding live, combine to arouse interest and then do much to heighten the intrigue. As the plot thickens, there seems to be a kind of correlation, but then again there isn’t.

Weird. And also, in a very odd way, wonderful.

author: Mike Rober




At first listen I thought, "This guy is tone deaf and these songs are ridiculous." After a week or two, I still feel the same way, but the pop punk/humor rock band from Illinois has grown on me like radioactive fungus. "Truculent," their most popular song, reminds me a lot of Cake's mid '90s stuff—white boy rap over tense guitar rhythms. Their Spanish-influenced cover of Pink Floyd's "Time" is both unrecognizable and excellent at the same time. Recommended. –Kristen K. –Guest Contributor (Misc. Music)

-Razor Cake





There is something a bit off-kilter about Constant Velocity, a trio from Bloomington, Illinois. Maybe it’s the tee-shirts; one guy wears a shirt proudly bearing the legend “Barista;” another’s pay homage to Mikhail Gorbachev, who so proudly played punching bag to Ronald Reagan’s strong right hook. Actually, though, it’s the music on MUTTONHEAD, their debut project, which seals the deal. Their guitar/bass/drum arrangements, played in a deliberately sloppy manner, belie a level of musical ability that the group occasionally permits to shine through, if only for a moment or three.

That‘s not to say that Constant Velocity is a put-on; it‘s more of a wink and a nod to those who take the time to listen to this project a time or three, to appreciate how it veers from self-parody to clever turns of phrase. “From The McLean County Lockup” (love that title) puts one immediately in the mind of the third, self-titled, Velvet Underground release, without, perhaps, the self-conscious gravitas that informed so much of that disc. In its place is an even sloppier guitar riff than you would find on, perhaps, “Candy Says.” From there, MUTTONHEAD puts you in the mind of a ship at sea, tilting from one side to the next. “After 4” stops in mid-riff, rights itself, and l unges to a beery conclusion. There’s an occasional flourish --- “Kelly” is a country song about a woman who doesn’t like country or NASCAR and who is a bagger down at Kroger; the song is told from the point of view of a guy who is trying to get her into his trailer. “Disorder” catalogues a series of minute, out of place items among a person‘s possessions, a laundry list for someone with OCD (“There’s a dime in your penny jar/there’s a microscopic scratch on your car”) that gets under your skin. Anyone who has ever brought someone into their home who immediately straightens up their CD or book collection will relate to this track. The almost spoken-word vocal and (deliberately) sloppy musicianship belie the cleverness of this track, and quite honestly, everything else on MUTTONHEAD. “Truculent” is about a…truck, yeah, I think, though it’s more of a stream of consciousness tune that starts off being about a truck. Actually, it takes issue with a bumper sticker on the truck, and there’s a hilarious if rude refrain throughout. So…can you imagine a tongue in cheek cover of “Time” by Pink Floyd? I couldn’t either, but it’s on here. This is a song who, like everyone over the age of 40, has heard far too many times. Yet, if you didn’t know it was coming, you’d be about halfway through it before you had a clue as to what it was.

MUTTONHEAD is a fun pr oject, worth playing for friends who on repeated exposure will veer from a “what is this crap?” reaction to “hey, put that on again.” As will you. Recommended.

www.music-reviewer.com/october-2008/rock-pop-alternative/constant-velocity::muttonhead/




Die drei Burschen von "Constant Velocity" wissen ganz genau, was sie wollen. Sie wollen nicht irgendeinem Trend nacheifern oder gerecht werden. Wollen keinen perfekten Sound abliefern. Im Gegenteil. Sie wollen, das ihre Musik echt und unverfälscht klingt. Und das ist ihnen gelungen, im Original 60s Sound. Die 8 Songs verfolgen auch keinen bestimmten Stil. Vom melancholisch, ruhigen Indie-Rock bis zum Art-Punk oder auch Countrysong ist alles dabei. Das Trio aus den USA will sich auf keinen Stil festlegen lassen. Ihr Motto: Ein guter Freund ist ja euch nicht jeden Tag gleich drauf. Da gibt es ups und downs. Genau wie in ihrer Musik. Und das ist rein auf die Stimmung der Songs bezogen. Gut sind sie eigentlich alle. Auf jeden Fall aber rau, roh, ein wenig sonderbar und gerade deshalb interessant.



Um, from Music Scan


And translated by cousin Dave Bate,


The three guys from Constant Velocity know exactly what they want. They don't want to imitate or be true to just any trend. Don't want to deliver a perfect sound. Just the opposite. They want their music to sound genuine and untainted. And that succeeded for them in original 60s sound. The 8 songs don't follow a specific style. From melancholy, subdued Indie-Rock to Art-Punk or Country song -- everything is included. The trio from USA doesn't want to conform to a certain style. Their motto: a good friend is not there for you every single day. There are ups and downs. Just like their music. And that clearly relates to the mood of their songs. They are all good. But in any case raw, a little bit unusual and therefore interesting.

Much funnier translation from our pals at rockgeekchic.com


"The three fellows of 'Constant Velocity' know very exactly, what they want. They do not want to emulate any trend or want to become just. Want no perfect Sound deliver. In the opposite. They want, sounds that its music really and genuine. And that is arrive them, in the original 60s Sound. The 8 songs pursue also no certain style. Of the melancholy, quiet India skirt to the type Punk or also Countrysong, all is there. The trio out of the USA wants to determine let itself on no style. Your motto: A good friend is not yes you every day equally thereon. There there are ups and downs. Exactly like in its music. And that is related purely on the mood of the songs. They are goods actual everyone. In any case however roughly, raw, a little strange and for this very reason interesting."








As a former resident of Illinois, the city of Bloomington has held affection forme. I used to visit down there because our family knew a professor in a university at the city next door -- Normal, and it was a place that had hills. And it was the first place that I saw skaeboarders. Chicago may have some of the biggest skyscrapers in the world, but it;s highest hill is about 700 feet high. So back to this band's city. What other place can claim Beer Nuts, Shakespeare and Passion Plays as some of their chief cultural attractions?

It is also the home of Constant Velocity a band that can be fast, like the Minutemen They can play slow in a deranged way like the Violent Femmes; and get melodic like the Decemberists..

But really they can be themselves. This is about them: the Muttonheads. Mostly an indie rock interpretation of punk rock that is held together by strong vocals and insistent distortion. Constant Velocity means speed and directionthat are not affected by time. Is this true about the band? Are they constantyly evolving like, say, Camper Van. I think they are creating a new sound, and they don't care about keeping the arrows straight. Not that isn't constancy in their sound. It is that recognizable.

Punk Globe




http://biggestletdown.com/content/view/215/58/


Have you ever listened to a new band that you've never heard of before, and the first time you play their CD you make a stink-face? But, then when you listen to it again, you say to yourself WOW, THIS IS REALLY PRETTY GOOD. WHY DID I MAKE A STINK FACE BEFORE WHEN I LISTENED TO THIS? I NEED TO TELL MY FRIENDS ABOUT THIS BAND!? Well, that's a great way for me to describe my experience with Constant Velocity. Now that I've listened to their newest album entitled MUTTONHEAD a few more times, I love it. It's great. Well done, boys!

Currently, there's a song on this CD called KELLY that has my full attention. It's really good. In fact, I'd love to see them play it live. Most of these songs seem as though they'd be a great to catch live. As I was reading their bio, I came across a great quote which might explain why I can imagine their music live while listening to this CD:

That is why our album sounds different. The microphones go up and we bash it out. What you hear is the way we really sound, warts and all. Just like bands used to do in the 60s.

That's a pretty good way to explain why they sound different. They've got a lot of energy for a three-piece band playing art-punk who come from Bloomington, IL. So, go ahead and give them a listen. Just make sure you listen to the album a couple times before you make up your mind. Don't give it stink-face without giving them another listen.





http://www.readjunk.com/cdreviews/constant-velocity-muttonhead

Constant Velocity's album Muttonhead changes genres so consistently that it's hard to figure out what to label them. Starting with a track that features spacey guitars and some introspective lyrics before hitting some Pavement-like highs with the second track, and country on the third track, the band seems to be interested in trying whatever genre they thinks fits their music. In a way, they most closely resemble the Dead Milkmen, which is a good thing because too few bands take cues from the Milkmen these days. While the album never develops a strong cohesion and is too short at 8 songs, it has a really fun and interesting vibe. You can tell the band has fun with the music (especially on the song Truculent) and never take it too seriously. It's hard not to like this one.

RATING & SUMMARY:

Bottom Line: Fun, arty, and interesting. Worth a listen.
Notable Tracks: After 4, Truculent, In Memoriam
Overall Rating: 3 and a half stars
Reviewer: Daniel Field








http://www.shotgunreviews.com/2008/08/28/constant-velocity-muttonhead/#more-1967


Constant Velocity is a trio out of Bloomington, Illinois and “Muttonhead” is their latest album that was released earlier this year. Their sound is unique. Stirring, yet quirky. They’ve been compared to the Violent Femmes and the Minutemen. They’ve been put in the “punk” pigeonhole, though I don’t really hear that. They remind of me of a heavier version of Cake with some country (yes, country) mixed in.

My favorite song of the album has to probably be “After 4″ though it is an extremely short piece. It’s pop with just enough edge that could only be described as Flogging Molly mixed with Jimmy Eats World. While I enjoyed the album, it does take a while to appreciate Alex Smith’s vocals. He’s the type of singer that doesn’t have a traditional voice, but meshes well with the beats and grinds of the band’s style.

Another favorite off of Muttonhead is “In Memoriam”. The song moves in an obscure way, but it sounds like it could be mistaken for a drinking song. It’s the more “folky” tunes from the band, but I found the melody and tone pleasing.
While the lyrics are sometimes abstract (”Truculent” is a perfect example), the tones work themselves out and is worth at least a listen. While it won’t be everybody’s cup o’tea, supporting independent artists like this can’t hurt either. You can listen to some samples on their myspace and you can decide for yourselves. I’m just here to say that with a little time and a tour, they could easily find their cds on shelves in college campuses to swank, downtown homes.



Constant Velocity are a punk rock band. Don’t let the name fool you; when I first heard it, I thought that I was in for listening to a band doomed to acquire the dreaded “emo” label. Constant Velocity play a type of punk rock often overlooked and obscured by the more traditional definition of the term. They play a pop driven punk with classic rock sensibilities, often channeling bands like Television or the Minutemen. They don’t sound like they know it yet, or the fact that the rest of the world hasn’t heard of them, but this young band from Bloomington, Illinois rocks harder than a lot of bands attempting this sound with little success.


The debut, self-titled album from Constant Velocity was obviously recorded on a budget. In all honesty, they don’t sound like they care and their ambition drives the tracks on this record, like the bluesy “The Smoker”. It takes a bit to get used to Alex Smith’s vocals, he’s one of those types of vocalists that can’t really sing, but his voice is perfect for the off-kilter delivery from the rest of the musicians.


Speaking of music, I found one of my favorite tracks to be “3sa Crowd”, thanks to the simple 2 minute introduction, which finds the bass and guitar competing. The high-hats give the impression that at any moment the song will erupt into a fast and aggressive number, but instead the song takes us into a bouncy and infectious pop tune about a young girl's crush on a youth minister. The song titled “The Cloud” is one of the only songs that comes close to fitting the traditional punk rock label, but its with Velocity’s ability to write infectious breakdowns to underscore the aggression, that their sound remains truly fresh and exciting.


It’s hard to choose from such a great record a favorite, but I would have to say “Genius” is just that. Clocking in at an epic 6 min and 37 seconds, it slowly meanders in a Door’s like groove and then totally lets loose in a guitar effects laden breakdown worthy of comparison to the classic rock of years past. Then, after another breakdown, the song rips into an upbeat punk rock tune only to slow down again into a keyboard part carefully placed to add to the quirky sensibilities of this eclectic outfit.


More people should know about this band. It’s rather unfortunate that the tour section of their website lists only one show in the near future, which is a shame. Give these guys a bigger budget, unleash them on the road, and the possibilities are endless.



-Jose Vela
Delusions of Adequacy
07/31/07

Rough, raw, weird, and ragged describes Constant Velocity very well. They will draw obvious comparisons to Violent Femmes, but CV are more chromatic and modern indie to stand too long in the Femmes’ shadow. The band have an eclectic writing style that mixes grooves and key centers to great effect on their self-titled CD. If they remain this creative, they should be heard from again. (www.constantvelocity.net)
– Mike O’Cull
Illinois Entertainer
4/07

The Daily Herald, Chicago
Nervously poppy songs makes Constant Velocity's debut endearing

Posted Friday, August 17, 2007


Constant Velocity, from downstate Bloomington, offer up an endearingly askew debut of indie rock. The recording, the handmade cardboard sleeve, even Alex Smith's vocals seem held together by tenuous strands of tape. Those ragged edges make Constant Velocity's craft more compelling.

The trio's nervously poppy songs bring to mind college rock favorites from The Decemberists to the Violent Femmes. The guitars mostly stick with a jangly, fuzzy indie/classic rock sort of tone, although opener "Consolation" flirts with some surprising distortion. While low-key tunes like "The Smoker" and "Fault" slink along on brittle vocal melodies, more uptempo tracks like "3sa Crowd" and "The Cloud" flit about with art-punk energy. With its copious guitar slinging and Smith's shakily wide-eyed singing, "Genius" plays like a particularly gloomy slab of jam rock.

Constant Velocity's restless approach remains infectious almost despite its own precious brittleness. One hopes this debut's charming, less-than-polished veneer won't be too smoothed over as the band gains experience.

- Jeff Pizek


Similar to the baroque stylings of Neutral Milk Hotel and the Decemberists,
Constant Velocity is a charming three- piece that given a larger recording budget
might be able to do their heroes justice. Here's hoping somebody does just that.
-Matt Siblo
Punk Planet
Sept / Oct 05