One bassist is company, two bassists are a crowd and three bassists? That's a party! That's what Andy Warhol meant right? Well, he isn't wrong, especially in the case of ONETWOTHREE's debut album. When listening to this, it's hard not to think about the influences of the previous bands that the members of ONETWOTHREE played in, or more importantly, the influences that those bands had. The Swiss punk scene of the '70s and '80s may have been slightly overshadowed by the same movement in New York and London at the time, however, the bands were equally as good as those over the pond. One member of ONETWOTHREE, Klaudia Schifferle, was originally a member of Kleenex/LiLiPUT, one of the more notable bands to come out of the Swiss punk scene. Here she is joined by Madlaina Peer of the Noknows and Sara Schär, of TNT/ Souldawn and The Kick.
This debut starts off strong with "Perfect Illusions," a funky, pop-like tune punctuated by spoken word-type lyrics; a track that is drenched in 70s nostalgia. We are then treated with a sizzling synthesiser and more catchy hooks than you can shake a stick at on "Give Paw." The group chant, "Give paw/ obey/ do as I say!" giving us punk deja-vu as they satirize their oppressors. On tracks like "Buy Buy," "Fake," and "Bubble" we are reminded that we have surrendered ourselves to the power of three badass bassists, as their rolling basslines carry us through each track with ease and style.
In true punk fashion this album is full of punchy, playful and sometimes cynical lyrics, backed by a minimal yet clearly well thought out band setting—obviously featuring some of the fiercest basslines out there. Although minimal, things never get repetitive, the music full of hidden gems that are sure to get your foot tapping and head bobbing. Although the band is made up of powerful punk alumni, the group have not fully receded to their roots and instead have created something fresh and new, forging themselves a new path almost 40 odd years later. This first album from ONETWOTHREE is raw, powerful and an all-round enjoyable listen. © Jessica Porter-Langson/Qobuz