After the relatively straightforward and uninteresting El Kabong, The Ultraviolet Catastrophe was a return to form for Trotsky Icepick. The lighter art pop touch was back and the band brought in guest musicians on instruments like cello, accordion, and Chapman stick to add texture to their songs. Vocalist John Talley-Jones is better integrated into the band's sound this time, and he and Vitus Matare support each other in a way that was lacking on the previous release. The songs explore territory that is relatively rare in rock; for instance, God Without a Compass is about murdered artillery designer Gerald Bull, who was willing to work for anybody who would fund his research, no matter how loathsome their policies. He was murdered by Israeli secret agents when he started designing a super-gun for Iraq. Taking that story and making it a moral lesson is not the style of most bands, but Trotsky Icepick managed the feat. The inevitable song which involves a clown or circus is here (there has been one on every Trotsky Icepick album), as is a charming track called Q.E.D. The lyrics to this one are best characterized as evocative gibberish. The reason for this is that Matare had come up with a great tune but couldn't think of words to fit it. He made up a song that meant nothing but helped him remember the tune; the first words were, "Skip a goat brightly/Where chickens roost/While driving your car." In the usual course of things Matare would think of something more meaningful before the album was recorded, but this time inspiration was lacking. The track was recorded with the meaningless vocals and a wonderful marimba part by guest D.J. Bonebrake, and an unusually cryptic footnote was added to the Trotsky Icepick story. It's an oddly fitting closing track to a very satisfying album. ~ Richard Foss, Rovi

1		The Ultraviolet Catastrophe
2		Alphaville
3		The Thing Under the Couch
4		Wdbs
5		Barbara Steele
6		Boy W/Book
7		God Without a Compass
8		Venus
9		Pestilence
10		August August
11		The Martian Manhunter
12		Q.E.D.

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