Old Time Relijun

Witchcraft Rebellion (K)
by Lex Marburger

When I opened this lovely piece of sonic indulgence, it came with a note from the dear ol’ Editor saying “I can’t tell if this is good annoying or awful annoying.” Old Time Relijun is actually both, at different times. Witchcraft Rebellion is a strange mix of Captain Beefheart, NYC No Wave, and the kind of ineptitude that leads to creativity. The thing that holds this album together is the rhythm; not overly sloppy, and it has a good groove. Not predictable, not just a boom-chick-boom-boom, but an angular, funky, drumkit-down-a-staircase kinda beat. The acoustic bass is pretty much lost in the mix, a predictable result when you factor in the, ahem, “leader” of this rag-tag buncha art-punks, one Mr. Aarington de Dionyso, whose shrieks, cackles, toots, as well as hurriedly-tuned guitar picking tends to overpower just about anything that stands in the way. There’s the awful part, although sometimes it approaches more of an awe-full sound. There are moments that shine on Witchcraft Rebellion, but for the most part, it’s not quite orthodox.
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