the wolfhounds: untied kingdom (...or how to come to terms with your culture)

A CD issue of The Wolfhounds' modern underground classic, Untied Kingdom (... Or How To Come To Terms With Your Culture), originally released on vinyl in 2016. This consolidates a few years of intense activity which has included the singles compilation CD Middle-Aged Freaks in 2015 and the almost simultaneous reissue of their 1986 debut Unseen Ripples From A Pebble. Untied Kingdom is the band's first standalone album since Attitude (1990). It is The Wolfhounds' most far-reaching release yet, from the opening acapella iPhone-manipulated folk resurrection of "Apparition", to the apocalyptic repetition of the electric violin and detuned guitar-driven "Across The River Of Death". Incorporating sample-mangled dub, freakbeat protest punk, and late-night unplugged lo-fi along its 50-minute plus wayward journey, Untied Kingdom goes musically and lyrically everywhere other bands can't or won't go. The album summons dystopic dysfunctional hallucinations of desperate working life and insecurity, while at the same time being as raw and hardcore celebratory as danceable blues. It's as modern as any young band could hope to be, but as wise and disturbed as any alert adult has to be. It conjures up demons of the fiercest rock along with the unfettered experimentation of singer Callahan's previous band, Moonshake, plus massive riffs and neat pop hooks, to form an expansive whole with surprises around every spin of the turntable. Originally formed as teenagers in 1984, the band appeared on the legendary and influential C86 cassette (1986), and released four critically acclaimed LPs and many singles, while touring extensively before breaking up in 1990. The band reformed in 2006 to celebrate 20 years since the release of C86, and inflicted a severe guitar noise-fest on an unsuspecting indie pop crowd at London's ICA. The last LP Middle Aged Freaks and reissued debut Unseen Ripples From A Pebble both received further critical plaudits and numerous plays on BBC 6Music, and even more for the initial release of Untied Kingdom. Despite being past their 30th anniversary, Untied Kingdom now shows they can blow any act half their age offstage, while outclassing them creatively in every way. The Wolfhounds are back and better than ever. Guests include: Terry Edwards (Gallon Drunk, PJ Harvey) - saxophone, trumpet; Rhodri Marsden (Scritti Politti) - keyboards; Katherine Mountain Whitaker (Evans The Death) - vocals; Astrud Steehouder (Paper Dollhouse) - vocals; Elin Grimstad (Je Suis Animal) - vocals.