Lupen Crook - 'Accidents Occur Whilst Sleeping' (Tap N Tin) Released date 17/07/06

'Accidents Occur While Sleeping' is a difficult work, a lo-fi extravaganza from the anti-folk/acoustic punk camp with a hodge podge of arrangement plus some cod-operatics jumbled in. Lupen Crook's voice comes across like a patched pair of jeans from the school of making do with what you've got - despite the limitations of tone and range he is by turns screechy, whiney and creepy. Lupen Crook has a lot to say, and does this by writing coarse songs which are all over the place and a non apology for being ****ed up, as well as dealing with dysfunctional relationships. This schizophrenic work is meant to jolt and discomfort, in Lupen Crook's words - "my attitude is a symptom of our malignant reality". Take it as read.

'6=8...The Remainder Of A Formula Self'  opens with the aforementioned cod operatics - "...ok with you if I tag along..." with the lo-fi setting the tone like an excerpt from Pink Floyds 'The Wall', barging into 'Here 2 B Friends' and the string section brought to parry - seedy lust, angst and frustration expressed with a screechy voice like a violin - "...where are my ****ing keys/ I ain't had sex in weeks/ I've been thinking about taking you in your sleep/ yes it turns me on...", a track that may talk to some. 'Love 80' wiggles, "...what's her name/ what's her name..." and "I've been wondering about the ways of the world/ we live in/ we sin in/ and eventually we die..." amongst a tale of schizophrenia, being motherless and degradation on 'The Great Fear' with jaunty rhythms showing through. Oompah on 'The Spastic Society' with Brecht and Weill influences - "...ahh/ it's the day they hang Billy Jarvis...", while 'Indigenous Syringes And A Silver Boot...For Sam' has the tin-pan fiddle-fie-foe. 'Daughters Day' is like a Kurt Weill outtake by way of The Muppet Show with its "la la lars" and orchestrations, the gritty and damning line - "...daddy was bad man/ he was just a sad man/ trying to get along/ by his own admission/ - guilty as hell".

Lupen Crook takes no prisoners on the totemic and pivotal track 'Knives And Pliers', with angular guitars and the pugilist line - "So I hear you've found God tell him two things from me/ fork his tongue with this blade and remove his front teeth...", the vitriol and bile gushing forth, "...a little pain never hurt anyone/ faith you can go berserk...". 'Better Left For The Poorer Right' has punky lo-fi grit with a tale of a girl who mattered - "...you were the soul of the party/ the violent **** machine...".

'Accidents...' is a strange affair - like tea and coffee brewed in the same pot, proving an uneasy listen. Spiky and bristly with occasional moments of clarity of articulation yet with well struck instrumentation and orchestration at times, for the large part it's grimness and darkness from this "writer of sick notes and summons". His darkened psyche is played out with anguished holler amidst tales of being ****ed up. It may yet prove of use in a Tim Burton movie should he choose to spotlight the flotsam and jetsom of relationship dysfunction amidst the small towns of the Medway from whence he came.