Eugene is the kind of song that took a little while to get inside my head... Like the worm in the video, it gradually wiggled its way into my subconscious.
With that slacker rock intro, Eugene shuffles its way into your ears, lilting vocals giving way to jaunty melodies and layered harmonies. Eventually what emerges is a little reminiscent of Pavement if they had vocals from Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor. Basically you can expect a high level of IQ and emotional anxiety. Things sway back and forth, a little like the cartoon seaweed in my head lost amongst the currents, and my words in a room to busy to notice I’m there.
Yet ultimately, Eugene will kick you in the head. Because sure, waves and inertia and emotions and complexity and air and atoms and shit, but also love and violence and the oppressive nature of time and famine and erections and the vapid waste of time that is every moment you let slip through your fingers. And then, suddenly, it’s all over.
Bull got their break when they decided to up sticks and head to Germany, with a suitcase drum kit in hand. Having slept in the basement of a YMCA they began their journey to success with a two-date dive bar tour of Berlin. Somehow fate brought Pavement’s Spiral Stairs into Bull’s own metaphorical Pavement and he offered to play at a house party the band were through. Remko Schouten, sound engineer and producer of Pavement and The Jicks, ran the sound system at the part and he ended up inviting Bull to record with him in Amsterdam.
And now we are here. I got send Eugene, and couldn’t find a rational reason not to share it with you. So here it is. Play it.