17 April 2006

Untuk Kipas-Susah-Mati Butterfingers

Blistering Butters
(The Star, 17 April 2006)

FOR more than a decade, Butterfingers fans have had to settle for bootleg live CDs and homemade videos of the band’s gigs. The one thing missing in the group’s catalogue was an official live album/video that archived the band in the raw. Well, the wait is over.

It’s not that there weren’t enough live experiences to be savoured from the Butterfingers’ career. Instead it took a bit of time and the Butterfingers’ unforgettable outing at the Hard Rock Cafe in Kuala Lumpur last year now serves as an excellent live document.

The show that took place on Jan 8, 2005, is released on a two-CD and two VCD package through Butterworld/EMI.

Selamat Tinggal Dunia/Peristiwa Batu Keras taped in front of an audience of 600, features the classics that built the Butterfingers’ legacy as well as a spread of cuts from the band’s last album Selamat Tinggal Dunia, a full Malay language release.

As the band’s first live recordings, the Butterfingers is caught in peak form and the end result is certainly worth the wait.

The sequencing sees the first disc/VCD delivering a lesson in textural sonic shades and shapes through Malay tracks like Daulat Tuanku, Kabus Ribut, Hanyut and Cuai while the second side is a long standing fan’s dream come true with Butter essentials like Vio-Pipe, Niccotynne, Me, Stolen, Fire Is A Curse and The Chemistry (Between Us) captured with a tight, furious blast of energy.

The band, comprising vocalist Emmett, guitarist Loque, bassist Kadak and drummer Loko is on hiatus at the moment.

So for those who never got to catch the Butterfingers as a live unit, this two CD set – or its accompanying VCD set – is as close as they’ll come to the real deal. For those who crammed themselves into the Hard Rock Cafe venue for this show, this is an awesome souvenir. Whatever the case, this is an absolutely essential slice of homegrown rock ’n’ roll history for anybody who really loves and cares about Malaysian music built with an uncompromising edge and visionary attitude. It doesn’t get much better than this.

2 comments:

Yatt said...

Heheh... band yg creative dan ada talent. Tapi attitude sebahagian anggotanya membuatkan kepala aku pening dan darah kadang2 naik!!

N a d i a said...

kalo le deme tau ceghite mike jage deme dulu ye..hehehehe...