Rating: ***
Pittsburgh's PA's ds feco (born David Fetcho) is a strange case. He's been in and around the music industry for a long time. He's composed commissioned works for theater, dance, and video. He's been in some bands (The P.D.S.U.M. and The People). The Australian Broadcasting Company even commissioned him to score a radio series on the recovery of heroin-addicted prostitutes in Sydney. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to check out his first ever solo single at the ripe old age of 67. I have a feeling it might be kinda weird. Let's see if I'm right.
Watch the lyric video for "Jihad du Jour" below:
Welp. It sounds kinda weird already. It reminds me of Nick Cave's early stuff in the Birthday Party. Lyrically it's pretty heavy, centering on the violent terrorist attacks in Orlando, London, Paris etc. This isn't gonna be for everybody. It's post-punkish and almost devoid of any melody to speak of. The message is powerful and the song is creepy with a purpose. Although he's not as strong of a vocalist as Scott Walker, it does harken back to "Tilt" at times. It's weird but it isn't bad. I doubt it will work for multiple listens but it's definitely something I can see myself showing a friend and saying "Yo check this shit out! Weird right?"
ds feco gets points for doing something a lot of people aren't doing at the moment. Lyrically it's challenging. Sonically it's challenging. The former is great. The ladder not so much. Certain people will absolutely hate this. Others will love it. I'm somewhere in the middle. I respect the message and find it musically courageous. You're not gonna hear it at many dance clubs. I give it a strong recommend if you love weird, and an avoid at all costs if you don't.
ds feco is ds deco (synth/electronics, lyrics, vocals)
Produced by: ds feco