ROOT! - Get Up Yourself (Album)
» ROOT! - Melbourne Uni, VIC - February 24, 2009
» ROOT! - Northcote Social Club, Vic - February 6, 2009
» ROOT!: Never Out of the Question, Part Deux - February 6, 2009
» ROOT!: Never Out of the Question, Part One - February 5, 2009
» ROOT! - Esplanade Hotel, The, Vic - September 4, 2009
» ROOT! - Northcote Social Club, Vic - February 6, 2009
During these globally sensitive times with all the radical fanaticism and the staunch conservatism and the oodles of contrived innuendo and generally more crap than a complimentary Coogee ice cream, it’s a politically correct yet vastly imbalanced era where innocent phrases like “dark washing” or “dumb waiter” could offend thousands, so I’m glad someone’s still got a sense of humour. It’s why my appreciation-of-the-week award goes to ROOT!
Combining their wits with a profound sense of musicianship makes this EP so dripping with acerbic its probably already illegal, been labeled defamatory or too busy ‘glassing’ someone to notice. Actually, that’s all bullshit too, let’s be honest. This is just one more CD shelved in the ‘underrated’ section of your virtual record store and I’m amazed you’re even reading this, but onwards we rock (and/or roll, as I don’t want to offend anybody).
Whatever this kind of music is - I’m gonna go with pop-schlock for now - is very much the wry Melbourne type that seems to have evolved from the oval ball park of Mr Floppy (punk rock), to TISM (dance punk), through to the 5-piece of Root! (roots punk?). Hey, at least there’s another dodgy new genre title, not to mention two obscure musical references.
Accentuating certain phrases with vocal reverb and backing vocals helps make the fourth and last track Get Up Yourself Part 2 my special pick of this countrified-without-the-‘o’-in-it EP. That and the fact I heard it on the radio and it made me laugh. And boogie. You can’t get much better than laugh and boogie. Its newsreader sentiments and other spoken lyrics are priceless, but they need to be heard not seen, as does the groove within. It’s the vibe. It’s the vibe.
Band members are listed as DC Root, Barnaby Root, Douglas Lee Root, Henri Root and Steve Root, so the songwriting credits go to Root/Root, except for track 2 by Root/Root/Root. Still not amused? Go Get Up Yourself. It’ll help solve your life.
