What part of Hamfatter do you not understand?
Ham'fat-er= A third rate minstrel, variety artist or actor. From the opening track Siget (We get wrecked), your high expectations of the comical Cambridge threesome appear to be fulfilled. A colourful and highly entertaining band name and album sleeve make it difficult from the off, to dislike the band you feel like you already know. "Come along", "21st Century sex" and "Dancing shoes" are the album highlights, taking the Artic Monkeys lyrical realism to the next level. Myspace remarks such as "Myspace- what have you achieved? You've got 500 new friends and not one of them knows your real name" provides the witty homely humour of lead singer and band mastermind Eion O'Mahony.
They provide a perfect comparison, mixing pleasant melodies with crude or harsh tongue in cheek lyrics; from getting wrecked listening to Radiohead on main stage, to burning the dancing shoes of those who "fuck with us". Hamfatter simply provide for everybody, amusing lyrically and generally just a very good band. Feel good big choruses such as in the second track "Come along" provide sing-along moments first listen and the sarcastic 'Karma"; "We don't care cos we've got money, we've got coffee..." are catchy from the off. "I want to be you" is a song that no doubt most can relate to, the need to be somebody else, go as far as to sleep with them because the desire to hate them is so strong. And this appears to be the beauty of the Cambridge three piece. The ability to relate to every song is unique, sounding like no other band I can honestly fully relate them to.
Three lads just hanging about in a garage writing about their daily events appears to be the appeal of Hamfatter- "Do something stupid tonight" is a classic example relating to the drunken antics of many and gossip gatherings days later; "I'm gonna do something stupid tonight, so I've got something I can write about tomorrow". Yet at points, the album loses its buzz and becomes merely a pretty cover with not so impressive weaker tracks such as "Welcome in" and 'At home here". The end of the album drags a little bit, from catchy "I want to be you" onwards, the substance is missing, disappointing ending to a really entertaining overall package, yet don't let it faze you. Hamfatter have performed for the main stage in this release, live performances in June this year are eagerly anticipated.