"Simmer" is The Scumfrog's debut solo album, featuring new songs from Scumfrog the Artist instead of Scumfrog the remixer. The Scumfrog (aka Jesse Houk) made his first ripples in the underground scene with "The Watersong" and blast onto the airwaves with Kylie Minogue's "Love at First Sight" remix, which got everyone's attention with its powerful beat and unique structure. From that point on, The Scumfrog was known as a fresh purveyor of deep, dark and funky house music. Since Jesse's conquered the realm of remixing, he's gone on to explore his more artistic, original side.
True to form, Scumfrog's production on this CD strikes the right balance between grunge and clean techno, a magic trick that The Scumfrog does particularly well. With "Simmer," he's created a hybrid of progressive house and 70s glam rock, that makes the songs approachable for a wide range of music fans, who will no doubt enjoy the re-interpretation of classic rock 'n roll attitude. It seems like Jesse is familiar with acts like The New York Dolls and Hedwig, because a lot of the same sensibilities are here. Lyrics like "My pants are leather, my boots are pink, bet your boyfriend don't know what to think" enter that androgynous zone that glam rockers,
among others, love so well. Overall, the music has an rocking sound and is full of attitude. The guitar work is scorching, live and groovy, creating a live energy unheard of in most house music these days- excepting the current trend of bringing rock into house music. "Simmer" exemplifies that trend, being a prime example of live rock elements finding their way into dance music.
Starting with the opening track "Set It Off" you'll hear gentle, electric keys over a serene bed of strings build into an arena-sized wall of guitars as Scumfrog screams "set it off…set it off" like a true rocker. The second track, "Come On," is my favorite vocal track on the album; the structure is classic, the music borders on punk, the groove is irresistible, and Jesse's vocals sound spot on like a young Mick Jagger. Next, the CD's title track "Simmer" brings back the signature Scumfrog deep house groove, pairs it with gruff vocals, rockin' rhythm guitars and catchy synth hook. Things settle into a chunky house groove with "Domino," a song with a melody riff for the stratosphere and more great vocal performance from Jesse.
Lucy Woodward brings the diva vocals with the next track, "Bacon," going back and forth in a duet with Scumfrog. It's a self-proclaimed "swine heaven." The music, specifically the bassline, is a close cousin to the classic bassline from Boris Dlugosch's "Keep Pushin'," and has a raucous, burlesque feel. A dark and pumping progressive beat lays the foundation for the next track "8 Days, 7 Hours," complete with ominous vocals and hypnotic, arpeggiated bass.
"F Karma," the next track, has a soulful quality helped by strong female vocals and a guitar track that sounds similar to Santa Esmerelda's "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." Scumfrog delivers his vocals in a spoken, poetic and tone reminiscent of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground. Next up, "One Thing" is a reworking of his earlier hit "We Love You"- and sounds even more epic and soaring than the original. A massive synth line echoes the original vocals, adding spoken word that preaches "don't stop til you're satisfied."
"Music Revolution" follows, and its catchy sound may already be familiar due to Scumfrog's earlier release of this one via his website. He's embraced the convenience and excitement of digital distribution, and is known for the occasional superb, and free, online release. Next, "Beauty" gets dark and sexy with a progressive groove and spoken female vocals that shift between politics and sultriness. Lyrics like "You are innocently filthy… innocently filthy… I debase my face and I exemplify a model for a fucked-up nation… Beauty, what you do me" are a compelling commentary on vanity. The final track is the New York remix of the chief rocker on this CD, "Come On"- some of the original verses are dropped in favor of a harder, dubbier New York house flavor. This one sits nicely beside current rock/dance oriented hits such as The Killers "Somebody Told Me." Really, The Scumfrog and The Killers would make a fantastic double bill.
All in all, the entire CD is a great listen, and a refreshing new direction for the constantly morphing yet always steady groove that is house music. The first 3000 copies of "Simmer" includes The Scumfrog's previous 2XCD album "Extended Engagement", a collection remixes and hard to find white labels.
