Rudimentary Peni Pope Adrian 37th Psychristiatric LP reissue
As I write this, the pope has died and a papal conclave is sequestered while Catholics the world over wait with bated breath for the result. In 1992, a similar transition of power occurred, although on a much more personal level. Nick Blinko, guitarist, vocalist, and visual artist for RUDIMENTARY PENI (joined by the immensely talented Grant Matthews on bass and Jon Greville on drums), experienced severe delusions to the point that he was detained in a psychiatric hospital after revealing he was ordained Pope Adrian the 37th. This experience led to a singular piece of essential punk art that is finally seeing a crucial reissue. There are two ways to absorb this record. You can drop the needle and enjoy a ripping anarcho-punk band delivering off-kilter anthems (check out the nasally vocal hook on “Il Papa Puss” and the instant earworm of “Pogo Pope”). Or you can tentatively step into the world Blinko expresses through the audio and visual translations of his delusions and appreciate a wholly formed, intensely complex piece of outsider art. Repetition is used to great effect, punctuated by an unceasing chant of “Papas Adrianus” that plays on a loop through the whole record, like even in the background of songs and in between tracks. The aforementioned “Pogo Pope” is such a killer raw melodic punk song that it isn’t immediately apparent that the lyrics consist of only the title repeated ad nauseum. If you can make it through the running time, I think you’re in for life, baptized through punk hymns and decrees from the outsider pope himself. This lovingly prepared reissue gets my highest recommendation (I have had my copy for months), and I encourage you to pick up a physical copy if you can due to the incredible artwork, sixteen-page booklet, and layout.