New Pushmi-Pullyu sweet(er than a fat man being milked)

This past weekend I had the great pleasure of being able to attend the last ever Mills House show ever. For those who do not know much about the Mills House, it is the residence of Madison musician John [praw] and a few other students at UW Madison. John is the driving force behind the group Pushmi-Pullyu, as well as his solo project, [praw], also runs a small record label named mineallmine! records, and djs quit frequently on the 97.1 WSUM radio station. For the last 6 months or so, John has been hosting shows in his basement, showcasing the best in local talent, as well as some national and international acts, such as Nuclear Woods, Arto, and The Enright House, to name a few. These DIY style shows are usually also accompanied by the legendary death wap, something I have had the great pleasure of helping prepare a few times. Two cups and you are down for the count. This last one was fairly special, as not only was it the last Mills House show, but it was also John's last show in the states for the next 10 months, as on August 15th he is moving to Norway to continue his studies. This was his last chance to release some new material for all his fans. He did this in the form of the new South Africa album from Pushmi-Pullyu.

Pushmi-Pullyu is the creative minds of [praw], K. Wilhelm (another Madison musician), and Myles Coyne, of Arto. I have always liked the cool, calming, ambience of Pushmi-Pullyu, and South Africa I have to say is my favorite release to date. It showcases all facates of the band, and no two songs are the same. From the first track "A Pretty A Day," to the Bon Iver-like vocals on the genius cover of MGMT's "Kids," to the haunting intro of "Welcome To The Ridge," and the finishing touch of an acoustic version of the title track, the whole album suprises at every turn. After listening to the whole album three times through from start to finish, I can honestly say that there is not a single song that I do not like. Absolutely amazing.

While only 62 copies of the album are currently available, all unique and handmade, I would guess that the album will soon be available on your finer torrent sites (lol).

My hats off to you, gentlemen, for another album well done.

And to you, John, thank you for sharing the last six months of your life with me, and a couch now and then.

-Duke-

P.S. New K. Wilhelm album was also handed out at the August 1st show, and I will be discussing that at a future time.