The Cundeez – Sehturday Night Weaver

There was a bit of me that considered attempting to write this review in the Dundonian dialect of Oary, but then common sense jumped forth to slap me down and remind me that doing it would be the same as writing a Bob Marley review in a dodgy Jamaican accent.

The world doesn't need that, and similarly neither does it require a review in Oary unless it comes direct from source.

So instead I will just rave on about how damn good it is.

So bagpipes and punk anyone?

Some may say that never the twain should meet – in fact some people will say that bagpipes and pretty much anything shouldn't meet - but the marmite of musical instruments fits hand in glove with the full on punk rock that the Cundeez deal in.

Just file their releases under the heading ‘fact is sometimes stranger than fiction.’

It really is a case of on paper this shouldn't work.

I mean who sits down with the intent to write a punk album and then considers doing much of it in a localized dialect before then deciding that the one thing missing is bagpipes?

The answer is….Only the Cundeez.

And it is this ripping up the rule book attitude to delivering what is at heart some traditional punk noise that is the element that makes it all work.

It’s aggressive, it’s funny, it’s got some damn accomplished musicianship on display, and in an alternate universe these guys are probably strutting about in kilts like fuckin’ rockstars.

Or they bloody well should be.

Like many I am rather tired of the indistinguishable pap that is being force fed to the public from the major labels and yearn for an alternative to the safe insipid drone that is passed off as currently relevant.

Thankfully there are bands like the Cundeez who can deliver that alternative.

More people should listen to them and challenge their own notions of what is entertaining.

Acts like the Cundeez who blatantly refuse to be anything other than true to themselves warm the cockles on my heart.

The revolution starts here.

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The Cundeez - Murder on the Oary Express

Culturally Dundee has never really featured on the map.

In the last decade all that has come from there is the incredible acting skills of George - the cat - Galloway, and the indie pop of The View, but now they can add a third string to their bow as The Cundeez are looking to stick a tartan emblazoned flag in the eye of the music scene.

It would be a valid point to claim that doing the rounds on bills with punk acts has pigeon holed them to an extent, but with 'Murder on the Oary Express' it's pretty obvious that they have a lot more going for them than simply appealing to those who arrived at a bar with their ticket for the nostalgia train only to find that they had to sit through The Cundeez before the could embark on their trip into the past.

With a swirl of the bagpipes layered in with their street punk, new wave and ska influenced tunes, the band are covering a great deal of ground sonically speaking, and while some may consider the Dundonian dialect heavy going and a bit of a struggle to get to grips with, it is ultimately a rewarding experience that will leave you smiling in admiration at their ability to walk the tightrope between being a joke of a band, and a band that can deliver a joke.

A big difference that sometimes some people don't seem to be able to grasp.

I reckon that in some strange alternative universe this would be called world music, and just for the shits and giggles I would love to see them on Jools Holland sending the whole thing up.

Facebook - www.facebook.com/Thecundeez

Reverbnation - www.reverbnation.com/thecundeez