NM is very, very satisfied to announce 'Where The Sidewalks Are Safe For The Little Guy', a new release from tape recordist, conversationalist and punk music vocalist Mark Groves (Index Clean, Red Wine and Sugar, Voice Imitator) as Absurd Cosmos Late Nite.
Two or three Groves' at a time wade through queasily chopped AM radio grooves with opioid confidence, whilst verbally exploring internet conjecture on DIY keto recipes, unfashionable Australiana touchstones, over-valued CD collections, etc etc. In his punisher vs listener diorama, Groves' punisher takes center stage - his polite voice(s) of reason are swept aside by the unerring, half-awake conviction of disembodied text collages, lifted from comment froth or actively researched.
'A Bamboo Ceiling In Crystallised Form' depicts an MSG avoider in a moment of crisis after a lifetime of pursuing the perfect chicken salt product, while 'Landfill Indie Countered With Omnitrope' sluices a barrage of nonsensical food prep, speculations on Ed Sheeran's villain story and god knows what else. Inedible meals and pop music aside, 'Spooks In The ANU Bar' tackles the barely existent duality of Canberra's death metal/government sector axis, followed by 'Michelle And Ferret's Jaffles' - an out of time, off the cuff panegyric to Melbourne Sharpie culture.
'Where The Sidewalks...' emerges 8 years on from his first release for NM 'Lost Wages', nestled amongst a slew of self-released material compiled at the genesis of his label Index Clean (later releasing work from Rory Salter, Duncan Harrison, Eric Schmid, Russell Walker, Matthew Revert) and follows last year's first new material since then, via Research Laboratories (UK).