Ugly Mothers show absolutely no hesitation in establishing the unruly nature of *VOL. VIII*, a four-track burst of London alternative rock that combines the spirit of garage rock, massive fuzz guitars, and the atmosphere of a spaghetti western into a dirty and unpredictable mixture. By drawing on the cinematic style of Ennio Morricone and that of cult films, the group achieves a deliberately unfinished effect, opting for distortion, a certain attitude, and dark storytelling instead of following polished traditions. Throughout from the beginning of “Cicada” right up to “Welcome to the Men’s Room, Sister”, the EP gives the impression of a band who would prefer to kick down the door than to knock politely.
The sound is just as provocative as the tracklist; “Hardcore Pornography” has a title that instantly draws the listener in, and “Honeytraps and Hushmoney” shows the EP’s interest in corruption, manipulation, secrecy, and the more unusual aspects of human behaviour. “Welcome to the Men’s Room, Sister” carries on the confrontational approach, whereas “Cicada” contributes another dimension to the record’s cinematic quality. Instead of sticking to the usual themes of love songs, Ugly Mothers construct their songs around strange stories concerning oil dynasties, political operations, sex tourism, occupied Paris, and African witch-doctors. The end result is an EP in which the subject matter seems just as unpredictable as the guitars.
“Four tracks. No interest in playing it safe.” This could easily act as an unofficial manifesto for *VOL. VIII*. Ugly Mothers know that garage rock has its greatest impact when it seems immediate, dangerous, and a bit out of control, and they fully follow that instinct. The guitars, which are heavy with fuzz, give the EP its physical impact, while the spaghetti-western influence provides a cinematic touch that sets the band apart from simple garage revivalism. *VOL. VIII* is short, sharp, unapologetic, and designed for people who want their alternative rock with a lot of grit, attitude, and a healthy disregard for what is expected.