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 Caught in the Carousel - Music Reviews and More
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Dengue Fever
Venus on Earth
M80
"We're going to split the #13 catfish soup."
"And we'd like the Cambodian pad-tofu. Egg is OK. And one order of the spicy broccoli in peanut sauce."
"Look at that poster, Doctor. It says 'Krap Dance.'"
"That's probably a Cambodian dance, Nursey."
"Oh, Doctor, you think you know everything..."
Don't doubt the good Doctor. If Mazzy Starr had formed in Phnom Pen, and weren't as interested in ripping off the Doors, they might have been Dengue Fever. This band is not a non-English-speaking novelty act, ala Shonen Knife, but a real live bastion of coolness. "Seeing Hands," the opening track of Venus on Earth, comes on like a classic, Los Angeles rock-and-roll ballad, but includes what can only be described as Khmer rap. It is totally great!
The overall feel of this disc is hard to describe. It's like wading up to your ankles in Kampot swamp with about a hectare of heavily fruited land under your belt. I was enchanted by the eerie "I Got You Babe"-type duet on "Tiger Phone Card" which is sung, for some unknown reason, in English. "Sober Driver" offers the perils of a co-dependant relationship with an alcoholic Cambodian woman. "Integration" moves like a 1950's Cadillac. The last three tracks remind me of the time that Dr. Haing S. Ngor met Madonna for a smart cocktail at LAX in Los Angeles, and Haing reminded Madonna, "When you set out to seek revenge, first dig two graves." To which Madonna replied, "I became an overachiever to get approval from the world." Which is exactly what Venus on Earth does for Dengue Fever.
Toenail Tips from Dr. Slurpee: Watch for yellow discoloration of the toenails. This is a fungus which grows and feeds on the keratin that makes up the surface of the nail. 'Nuff said?
—Dr. Slurpee, Podiatrist To The Stars
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