Ouroboros earworms. Drunk tank dharma. Interpolations culled from The Beyond. First thought, best thought & a sprinkling of double-think. Isaac Brock and Chief Keef horseback galloping with one dim torch through a secret canyon passage to the Valley of the Shadow of Death. The Randy Newman School of Song Economics. The Lonesome Chowdered East. The Haunting of Faith Hill House.
This is the otherworldly music of LUCY (Cooper B. Handy), The DIY Duke of Western Mass. whose 15 or so years of relentless, inspired output has led his little butt here to a collaboration with rather mysterious Minnesota producer I.V. who, as you might have guessed, produced exactly 100% of this wonderful album. It’s a match made on the dock of the Bardo.
Cooper called this his “most fried album yet” and we were like “Dunno, seems right on target to us.” But he’s right, this album’s gooey purple head sticks out amongst the LUCY oeuvre. Wiggling sinews of Toejazz. Midi folk canoeing straight up Dawson’s tight little creek. Hyperpopsploitation claymation sprouting up and melting down across these 12 chartbound tone poems. All under Little Fluffy Clouds. I.V. is over here squishing and pretzling things up like its Judge Doom at the end of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Tobias Jesso Jr.’s ‘GOON’, but then make it Terry Gilliam.
Our first single “Tank” finds ol’ Coop n’ I.V. building around a high and lonesome harmonica — eating carrot cake in the clink on his birthday no less. Slicker than snot on a doorknob. “Substance” is a cheeky Christmas song, ecstatic consciousness achieved by any means necessary, conjuring up Duwap Kaine and The Postal Service. “Anniversary,” is an anthem about giving your loved ones their flowers while they can still smell ‘em. It’d work on the Rushmore soundtrack if the film took place at a furry convention instead of a prep school. “If I die tonight it’s been marvelous. If I die tonight it’s okay. You make me feel marvelous and that’s a reason to stay” LUCY rings on “Marvelous.” And I.V. marks these lines with a fat pink highlighter.
‘100% PROD I.V.’ is the beginning of what looks to be a pretty iconic run for Cooper in 2024, and ULYSSA is proud to light the fuse.
KABLOOEY!
credits
released January 19, 2024
