Forget any
preconception of listening to Mahjongg as ‘music’,
or to Raydoncong 2005 as a cohesive album.
For, certainly, the four-piece never offer up anything
that approaches sense and sensibility on the group’s
second release.
Each of the ten tracks is wildly
loose and gives way to interpretative dance – the furious pace of “The
Rrabbit” is break-neck; the sort of thing that can
result in thrown pelvises on the dance floor, and
aching jaw muscles as the furiously pilling try to
chew in time with the beats.
Of course, it means that Raydoncong 2005 is
never ever an easy listen. But when the Beck-like “The
Stubborn Horse” kicks in with its irresistible guitar
work it’s pretty damn hard to resist Mahjongg. If
they could be bothered delivering something cohesive,
they could be masters at anything they do. At this
stage, though, they’re too wilfully creatively and
stubbornly obtuse to retain much attention beyond
the too-hip crowd.