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After two singles ("Body Experience Revue", 2001, and "Come with You") and various vicissitudes, Millionaire release their first album: "Outside the Simian Flock" (PIAS).
The story of this album goes back a full four years, to 1998, when Tim Vanhamel - between the disbanding of Evil Superstar (which he joined at the tender age of 16) and his appearance as the second guitar in the "The Ideal Crash" tour of dEUS in 1999 - went to Spain to record some solo material, taking with him Dave Schoryen, who would later become the drummer of Millionaire along with Aldo Struyf (keyboards, vocals), Ben Wijers (guitar, vocals), and Bas Remans (bass, vocals).
Tim Vanhamel grew up with jazz (his father was a drummer), discovering funk and punk when he was little more than a child. His musical preferences include Kyuss, Melvins, John Coltrane, Ween. An unusual and interesting mix of genres and ideas that can also be found in "Outside the Simian Flock".
It is a record that is difficult to categorize in a specific genre; the musical influences have been assimilated and reworked with a remarkable dose of originality, leaving room for free interpretations (in this case, absolutely useless) by the listener.
Vanhamel tells stories and personal situations, but does so in a "universal" way: he takes you into his world and makes you believe you are him, but you are not him, you are yourself in the same stories and situations, and while he screams "Motherfucker stole my move and I'm now the one to prove..." ("Aping Fr13nds"), the music, obsessive and angry, drives you to move and shout with him.
In "Blindfold", almost a contemporary sinuous lullaby, we are reminded how difficult it is to make certain choices and how easy it is to get lost in bullshit if you never look "inside".
Lazy and dragging sounds in "Body Experience Revue", while "Flame me Up" is a piece like a freshly weaned bull, the references to sex and erotic iconography absolutely "brazen", but ironized by an almost playful pop-rock riff.
These are perhaps somewhat post-adolescent themes, but Vanhamel has the natural poetic ability to make something banal quite special.
With "Outside the Simian Flock" Vanhamel wants to make us part of how he feels: a person detached from the rest of the crowd.
Millionaire feel distant from other bands that choose a tried-and-tested formula or cater to trendy tastes. They have chosen a more personal and less easy path, but definitely more rewarding.
"OTSF" is a decidedly unique album, which can either be very appealing or absolutely repulsive to those who listen, but - in my view - there is no middle ground. Honest, intermittent, and erogenous, I found it "addictive" and I'm listening to it practically non-stop...
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Body Experience Revue (06:05)
I fear what I'll never be, i fear what I'll never see
I take in what they throw out, I take in what they devour
You gave me this special thing, you gained from this rotten fling
You gave me this special thing, you gained from this rotten fling
Baby can't you see, I love simplicity and I will not stay too long
Can't, will not stay too long, baby can't you see,
Don't need this expertise, I got enough on my own bill
You'll get your wish fullfilled
I wonder if i will find, some chaotic piece of mind
If one ever gets in right, if one ever wins this fight
You think that you're heavensent, but you're just a malcontent
You think that you're heavensent, but you're just a malcontent
I fear that I'll never feel, I fear that this movies real
I'm leaving when they show up, I continue, when they stop
You gave me this special thing, you gained from this rotten fling
You gave me this special thing, you gained from this rotten fling
Woman what is wrong, thought I was everyone,
And I had already seen 2 seas, saw about a million me's
Woman,what is wrong, I know my ways are strong
But I can't settle down for less, had to flee from tis mess
If wonder if you were me, If you were what I could be
How can I be everyone, how can I fuck everyone
You think that you're heavensent, but you're just a malcontent
You think that you're heavensent, but you're just a malcontent
04 Champagne (04:45)
You're my champagne
My only side mondaine
You make me sane
When i'm one step away from really hurting myself
You are my tower
Girl, you can golden shower
All over me
Cause i'm one inch away from destroying myself
I only wish that you've got plans for me baby,
You know i'll be good and you can stick everything in me
The reason i jump from my seat is not you,
I'm just very alert, don't wana to carcrash with you
09 Her Gender (Fixed) (05:04)
Can you believe that, she doesn't feel the need
To overcome this messs and forget about the stress
That she has now, when she thinks about the lies
Which made her whos he is, how many time she tried
To be boyish, use tape to flat her breast, living life in closet
And playing with the cars of her brother, who turned into a plant
Liked the tasted of sugat, but now he's using hemp in his backroom
With everyhting at hand, porno on the telly and every night his hand
Anyway she said: I'm gonna work i out, whatever is the problem, i'm gonna get it out
And now sh's here and now they're here now the butcher is here
And they got plans for her body yeah they're going to get her fixed
So she told me about the outcome of her plan, toiletseat up, convenient for a man
She was happy, didn't change her name, everything was fine but running gave her pain
Anyway she said: I'm gonna work it out, whatever is the problem , i'm gonna get it out
And now sh's here and now they're here and now the butcher is here
All that comfort is just too much and your eyes took all neon they could take
All you breath is exhaust and gas, all you feed of is bones, offal and trash
I just want to know who she was before, before she became a crsytal gazing shrew
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Other reviews
By Ghemison
From the very first track, Body Experience Revue, you can get a pretty clear idea of their musical proposition: a punchy bass that hits the beat, a rhythm guitar that quickly turns into nasty distortions, a whispered voice that explodes whenever possible.
The album’s high point is surely the schizophrenic power-pop entitled Her Gender (Fixed): chaotic, convulsive, epileptic, divided and torn by deconstructive distortions and sudden rhythmic accelerations.
