Alan Vega & A.R.E. Weapons - See Tha Light/War

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release

3...according to our Brett on Thu 19 Mar, 2009.

The ever-amusing ARE Weapons have finally gone and achieved what seemed to be the purpose of their existance by recording with Alan Vega on this single sided 12" from Blast First Petite. In fairness they've provided him with a decent track to groan his graveyard Elvisisms all over on 'See Tha Light'; a slow beat, sci-fi effects and chimey, trebly guitars stuttering all over the place while he pleads incoherantly to be freed from something or other.. Maybe they had to tie him up and torture him to get him to agree to play with them, I dunno. 'War' is a cover of the Edwin Starr song and it's only occasionally as entertaining as it sounds on paper but then paper teams win paper cups as some divvy football manager once said.

Mr Vega continues to celebrate his seventh decade on this planet with two great new tracks recorded in 2008 with New York based & suicidal accolytes doo-wap duo A.R.E. Weapons. “See Tha Light” The Weapons drop a truly unique & titanic stutter gun glitch glam groove over which big al calls down one his classic croonings from the cross, love, death, sex the whole damm nine yards.a monster “War” a cover of the Edwin Starr classic. and example number two of this nu-funked futuristic maxed out dancefloor minimalism shit. preacher Vega proclaims from atop his scrap car and dumped tv pulpit the abiding law of peace & love. war, what is it good for……? scene report: road-testing both these tracks resulted in a clutchbag of young new yorker-ettes pairing up & slow slow-dancing to this stuff ! dj’s play it loud & often if you please.

4...according to Mk Btt.

Definitely a validation playing with the great Alan Vega, but don't let the humorless (see Pitchfork, etc.) lead you to believe that A.R.E. are anything but fantastic. Start with the early singles like 'NY Muscle' and 'Street Gang' and the downloadable-somewhere 'Peel Session' (which is absolutely the crown jewel of the Weapons very difficult to find/but worth seeking catalog) and judge for yourself. There three LPs won't disappoint either. 'Don't Be Scared'.

So, what do you think? Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!