Reviews
Punk Planet:
"6 songs of sweaty love on sweaty vinyl. One old, one new, and one vice-versa cover from each band
respectively, dedicated to friends of the two bands on their special day. DBA play some goofy new-wave and chirpy pop punk ditties
with male/female vocal twists, while KFM sound like bizarro Beach Boys. A fucking cool wedding present. If only I knew Sicko and
Sinkhole and they still existed!" - Jason Gitzlaff
Mutant Pop catalog #38:
"Two of the best Mutant Pop band dishing out something old (an older song), something new
(a newly written song), something borrowed (DBA=cover of KFM's "Angel"; KFM=cover of DBA's "All Systems Go"), and something blue
(the vinyl). Very nice packaging with a pseudo-wedding invitation insert. A very cool concept piece!" - Tim Chandler
Now Wave Magazine:
"Talk about a cool wedding present! One could hardly ask for a more splendid token of matrimonial well-wishes
than a double whopper vinyl affair pairing late 90's/early 00's New York City's (arguably) finest two pop bands, Dirt Bike Annie and the Kung
Fu Monkeys! Produced in honor of the summer 2001 union of She's Gone Records' Chad and Jessa, "The Wedding EP" warms my heart and affirms my
faith in the goodness of humanity. God bless Whoa Oh Records.
But sentiment aside, this double 7" love-fest registers as one of the year's finest EP's. It helps if you're a fan of DBA and KFM, but
either way the tunes themselves are worth your five bucks, for sure. At the very least, it's a terrific showcase for both bands' graceful
shifts away from the bread & butter pop-punk formula that distinguished them in their early days. I LOVE where these bands are coming from,
but I'm anxious to find out where they're going next. "The Wedding EP" is thus an enticing teaser.
If this were a backyard rumble, I'd have to call it a draw. DBA raises the bar a mile high with a fucking GREAT quirky techno-pop-circa-1981
gem called "Whatever Makes You Happy" (one of their best tunes to date!), but the KFM's' plaintive chamber-pop take on DBA's "All Systems Go"
is nothing short of STUNNING. It'll move you to tears, I say! A rare case of a cover tune being just as good as the original.
Cahill and co. also turn in two solid originals that eschew the sugar-freak-thrash-madness of their days gone by in favor of an idyllic lo-fi
pop aesthetic. DBA tackles a second original and delivers a surprisingly-appealing emo-pop rendition of the early KFM tune "Angel". Nice!
Granted, not ALL of this stuff is A-material (This IS a split, after all!). But none of it is exactly filler, either. Neither band is truly
capable of sucking, so you can hardly go wrong with a Dirt Bike Annie/Kung Fu Monkeys musical marriage. I can only hope that this EP is a hint
of big things to come from both of these super-fab bands." - Rutledge
Now Wave Magazine:
"This was bound to happen. And I'm glad it did. Two of the best pop products from the New York area have come
together on two slabs of wax. And most romantic of all, it's to celebrate the wedding of Chad and Jessa of She's Gone Records. I'm seriously
teary eyed.
Let's start with Dirt Bike Annie. What can I possibly say about them that you haven't heard? These guys and gal are one of the greatest bands
of our time. They have it all- hooks, lyrics, talent, good looks (even Mike and Dan). They do an oldie, "Whatever Makes You Happy", which is
incredible, a new one, "The Wedding Song", and they bust out a KFM cover which happens to be "Angel". All of this is done well. The recording
is tops and Dirt Bike Annie is tops.
Now let's move into Kung Fu Monkeys territory. Can we be honest here? I never saw what it was about KFM (stay with me please). I have their
MP stuff and never really went ga-ga over it. It was okay. Their contributions to this split gave me the appropriate slap in the face. The KFM
songs on here are amazingly great. I can't say much more than that. Their cover of Dirt Bike Annie's "All Systems Go" gives me goosebumps.
It's phenomenal. To keep with the theme of the split, they do an old song, "My Baby Said Yeah!" and a newbie, "A Kiss On Your Back Stoop".
As soon as I'm done writing this, I'm going to dig out my old KFM stuff and give them another spin.
This whole remarkable release (on blue vinyl by the way!) was brought to the world by Whoa Oh Records, run by Chadd and Jonnie of The Shy Guys.
Be sure to thank them for their hard work by sending them money for this." - Mike Welch
Vinyl A Go-Go:
"Insane! What a glorious summer for my leopard adorned vinyl box. Not only does it get to enjoy the companionship of two new, essential,
smash-hit, Dirt Bike Annie singles; as well as a new Kung Fu Monkey's single that happens to be one of the band's best, but now it gets to
hold within its confines a double split single containing three extraordinary tracks from both bands, including each band's version of one
of the other band's old songs! Not only that, but it's also a concept record, that concept being true love and wedlock, containing some of
the most ingenious packaging these eyes have yet to see, and all in the name of celebrating the union of Jessica and Chad of She's Gone
Records, who are both personal friends of the bands involved (as well as friends of Chadd and Jonnie at Whoa Oh Records, who were kind
enough to bring us this labor of love). This pairing has been destined to happen ever since the early days of the burgeoning NYC pop scene
that spawned both the Kung Fu Monkeys and Dirt Bike Annie, who are close friends and avid fans of each other's music. The fact that this
split should come about at a time when both bands are at the top of their game and seemingly ready to take the pop underground by storm
is just icing on the wedding cake, so to speak.
The festivities kick off with Side A (as most singles do) which belongs to DBA and their two original
contributions to the split. Things start off in an atypical mode for the band as they pull off a fresh, funkified, synth-pop sort of deal
that is minus the patented layers of harmonies and grandiose hooks, instead relying on some great vocal work on the part of Dirt Bike Dan,
who sounds a might like James Brown or some such and impresses me greatly with his vocal talents. This crazy talented singing is coupled
with Adam's megaphone-derived fuzzed out backing vocals. There's also Jeanie's at times robot sounding lead vocals that act somewhat as a
master of ceremonies, leading the listener through the song whose lyrics serve as a lover's missive to her beloved letting him know that
she is willing to do whatever it takes to make him happy, hence the title "Whatever Makes You Happy." Quite a light, happy, upbeat change
of pace tune. The best part comes at the end as Jeanie and Dan begin trading off seemingly improvised lyrical yelps and orgasmic shouts,
making it sound like a love tryst between James Brown and a robot, the song ends with a very bad-ass solo combined with more synthesizer
craziness.
For the next track, Dirt Bike Annie's ode to marriage and true love, "The Wedding Song," all those
patented harmonies, hooks and power-pop stylings are back in full force. The vocals nip at your ear drums with their sharp, crisp and
yet lightly fuzzy recording quality (fine production job on this stuff!), and are nearly enough in themselves to keep your auricular
trenches jubilantly grinning. The meaning behind the lyrics is at first slightly shrouded, as they are written in the style often showcased
by DBA, short bursts of words and phrases that, when combined with the luscious, evocative instrumentation and vocal arrangements seem to
overcome their vagueness and reach a clarity unattainable from the printed word alone. The song comes complete with a call of "Hey! Kick it
up a notch!" that may be directed at the listener or perhaps the couple who are in pursuit of future happiness, but I suggest it is Dirt Bike
Annie who are kicking things up a notch (both in their abilities as a band as well as in the pop underground) with every new song they compose
and painstakingly record, throwing in layer upon layer of vocal tracks and delicate instrumentation, creating near symphonic, hook-filled
power-pop gems with emotion intact through words that create images of life, love, happiness, unhappiness, friends, hope, despair and other
moving themes. Kick it up a notch indeed! The song culminates with a great round of vocals sustaining the final lines of the chorus and
throwing the song high into the air in a reign of glorious merriment, much like those feelings experienced at a wedding ceremony.
And that's just Side A! Side B contains the sensational Kung Fu Monkey version of Dirt Bike Annie's "All Systems
Go," also an ode to marriage and the uncertainty and yet security it brings with it, that was one of the most exhilarating tracks contained on the
band's debut full-length, Hit The Rock!. The Kung Fu Monkeys slow things down a bit, while taking the song to its most basic levels with sparse
finger snaps and unobtrusive guitars. Mr. Cahill's vocal approach gives the song a rather somber feel, I can nearly taste the tears that must
surely be forming in his eyes as he desperately and plaintively sings the words to this beautiful, touching song. Cover songs are often a rather
dull affair with the band taking little time to truly feel the song and make it their own, however it is obvious that the Kung Fu Monkeys know the
emotions behind "All Systems Go," and took their time developing their own unique version, turning it from a Dirt Bike Annie song into a Kung Fu
Monkey's song. Brilliant! Oh, and that may or may not be a hidden track at the end of this side of the record...
Side C holds within its waxed grooves two new Kung Fu Monkey's tunes that rival any of the songs off of the
bands latest single on Knock Knock Records. "My Baby Said Yeah!," is another Top 40, early 60's radio hit that will have you swaying and
gyrating your backside all over your listening stool, with an uncontrollable urge to stand up and shake yourself silly like the kids and
kiddettes did back in the day when beatles roamed the earth. The song even features one of the baddest guitar solos to ever be injected into
a Kung Fu Monkey's recording, sounding like a sugar coated Chuck Berry lick straight from the fifties. Another perfect bug beat track from the
masters of bug beat music (heck the inventors even!). Is there a reason why everyone in the underground music scene isn't singing the praises
of the Kung Fu Monkeys (not to mention Dirt Bike Annie as well)? Oh, and if you were wondering, the song is about love and happiness and staying
up all night simply because you're in love!
Next the Kung Fu Monkeys give us a somewhat slower, pop-jewel of a tune that contains more of the band's modest-yet
infectious hooks and dreamy lyrics that would fit in many a bygone era better than they (unfortunately) do in today's music world. "A kiss on your
back stoop-and wedding bells in June", pure genius!
The split comes to a superb ending with Side D and Dirt Bike Annie's version of the classic Kung Fu Monkeys ditty
"Angel," which held the second spot on the A-Side of the band's very first single on Suzy Wong Presents... , that came out back in 1996. I couldn't have
imagined when I first spun that glorious Kool-Aid Tropical Punch tinged record, and fell deeper in love with the Kung Fu Monkeys upon hearing the
magical "Angel," that I would someday be plunking down a blue record containing a superfantastic version of that same song played by another band
I was falling in love with during that same time. A little nostalgia is good for the soul I say. Dirt Bike Annie too makes the song their own,
slowing it down a bit and making things a little funky and edgier by giving it a slightly different beat and lyrical feel, changing a few lyrics
and adding layer upon layer of delectable harmonies! I am simply in love with Jeanie and Dan's backing vocals on the chorus line of, "I can't believe
it," which take the last words and sustain them for some matter of seconds (that seem like a few glorious minutes at their best), and create a sound
that launches straight up towards the heavens (uplifting is the word for it), and also officially create one of the coolest sounds ever to blast
forth from my tiny blue bedroom with the dorky dinosaur border. The song ends with a crazy guitar solo courtesy of Dirt Bike Dan, apparently the
resident guitar virtuoso at Dirt Bike H.Q. The song features more lush instrumentation and vocal piling as well as super recording, making it a
delight to listen to through a pair of headphones, which I plan to do as often as possible during the ensuing weeks.
Lately I've lost much of my faith in true love. Everywhere I turn I see unhappy couples who have been
married for years and are now ruining each others lives, it seems that I am at times hard pressed to come up with one positive example of
love's true potential. However, I tend to look on the bad side of things much too often. The truth is, for every one unhappy couple there
are two who make each other's skies bluer and songs sweeter, each and every day of their lives. Through their songs Dirt Bike Annie and the
Kung Fu Monkeys are celebrating this most astounding of phenomenon, and at the same time are using their talents and artistic abilities to
congratulate and give a gift to two close friends just beginning their own foray into the life of wedded bliss, I too wish Jessa and Chad all
the merriment in the universe, and with a record such as this to remind them of their promise to each other and the joy that they bring to each
other's hearts, I'm sure they will receive nothing less. If you have yet to discover the immutable charm of Dirt Bike Annie or the Kung Fu Monkeys
then by all means buy this record. If you have already discovered either one of these bands I don't need to tell you to purchase this record. This
is, simply put, one of the coolest split singles ever concocted, and one of the most fastidiously assembled projects to come out of a punk-pop record
label this side of the Oregon state line. Stop complaining about the lack of vital pop releases in today's music underground and start getting tuned
into some of the best pop tunes ever written by a pack of truly devoted, talented and hard working individuals. This record will make a very nice
bridge between my two most treasured groupings of singles, which both happen to be huddled together in the very front of my vinyl box already..." - Lew
Maximum Rock N Roll:
"Alright, a novelty item from two very Mutant Pop bands... Dirt Bike Annie does the cute girl/boy pop thing, along
with a song that sounds a whole lot like Atom & His Package. Kung Fu Monkeys are just playing straight up pop, and it rings the Beach Boys. This
is pop from kids who made it through high school with their imaginations unharmed." - Will Risk
Go Metric:
"Longtime friends team up to deliver a wedding present for their pals (Jessa & Chad), a gift that doubles as one of the best splits to come down the pike in ages.
Each band performs two originals during the ceremony and then they exchange covers during the reception. DBA dish out a delightfully diverse side, with one electro pop
tune and a Superchunk/Green Day hybrid. KFM keep pace with a couple of cub-tastic (in a Betti Cola way) tunes that'll appeal to the MTX fan as much as the Magnetic Fields
aficionado. The covers are clever, each completely different than the original. KFM give the bedroom pop treatment to DBA's "All Systems Go" while DBA injects KFM's "Angel"
with a swaying rock beat." - Mike Faloon
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