Slow as an Eyeball is now officially on general release!

You will be able to buy it direct from here soon, but in the meantime you can get it from Cuckundoo Records’ shop

And there are some mighty fine reviews, which Ben has gathered on his blog

Whilst we get our act together and upload it all on to here, we’ll leave you with this review from Bruce Lindsay on All About Jazz

“Good grief, Slow As An Eyeball is fun. Not fun as in “quite enjoyable” or “this might bring a smile to the face,” but fun as in Fun. The sort of immediate, raw and inescapable joy that leaps out of the speakers to demand smiles, dance action and increased volume all at the same time. The trio of musicians who form Quack Quack—based in Leeds in the northern English county of Yorkshire—inhabit a musical world on the fringes of jazz, techno, dance and even progressive rock, creating atmospheric and downright catchy tunes with a refreshing lack of pretension. As the cheap ’70s record label had it, this is “Music For Pleasure.”

“Perpetual Spinach” sounds a little like the Americana style of Calexico—there’s even some lap steel guitar from Richard Formby—until the entry of Richard Morris’ simple keyboard line. The sound of jazz originals like Sun Ra, and the gloriously eccentric electronica of ’60s visionary Joe Meek break through as multiple rhythms create a rich, welcoming ambience.

“Toc H” is a medium tempo tune with a simple and straightforward structure and is perhaps most typical of the Quack Quack approach. Much of the tune is underpinned by a pedal electronic drone over which Stuart Bannister adds a funky, repetitive bass to take charge of the rhythm. On top sits Neil Turpin’s light and vibrant drumming and Morris’ stabbing keyboard—which is, itself, replaced occasionally by a denser, lower register keyboard sound that adds just a hint of menace. This thoughtful, multilayered approach is repeated consistently across the album’s ten tracks, ensuring that their immediacy doesn’t become tired as repeated listening can uncover new sounds and ideas.

Towards the middle of the album—most notably on “Phonehenge”—the pace drops, repetition comes over too strongly and the vibrancy of the music suffers. But the quality soon recovers when, half way through “Big Sounds,” Morris enters with a beautiful rolling keyboard riff. The album closes with three of its strongest tunes. “Bird Parliament” has a slinky central keyboard riff while its structural approach suggests a strong jazz influence. The band’s jazz credentials are stated clearly when Polar Bear‘s Seb Rochford and Pete Wareham guest on drums and tenor sax respectively on “As Slow as an Eyeball,” while Wareham adds some heavy tenor riffs to the splendidly cheery and upbeat closer, “Jack of None.”

Slow As An Eyeball took three years to record, but the cohesiveness and consistency of the tunes sound like they were created in a much shorter period. Quack Quack brings a welcome freshness to the fringes of jazz, with a sharp reminder that technical complexity is not the only goal. Oh—and it’s fun.”

1. Album release date now 24th May! Pressing plant tomfoolery, ltd edition wonky versions available on tour,which starts in a matter of hours! 1:56 AM Apr 29th via txt
2. Heavy traffic at some junction or other on the M62, we’re on tour! 8:24 AM Apr 29th via txt
3. Thanks to the ‘darlo llama’ for use of his excellent van,it’s steaming along nicely now we’re out of the jam that is the M62 9:16 AM Apr 29th via txt
4. Arrived at the Mad Ferret,6pm on the dot,a professional start to the tour 10:04 AM Apr 29th via txt
5. Alright,Glasgow’s done,ace gig in a wee cellar bar, thanks Fielding. Already a wreck,hearing fuzzy,lost voice&knackered hands. 8 gigs to go! 6:05 PM Apr 30th via txt
6. Speeding to Derby in t’ quack bus,which sounds like it might fall apart.Scotland looking marvellous if slightly blurred&shaking around a lot 3:35 AM May 1st via txt
7. Just been molested and photographed by some hen do-ers at a service station,feels like the tour’s really shifted up a gear 5:23 AM May 1st via txt
8. Great Derby gig after strange start feeling like we’d been locked in an attic. A drunken crowd entered the room & a gig ensued. Thanks Dan! 5:33 PM May 1st via txt
9. Norwich bound after lunch at Moz’s mum’s. Bob on board with film camera capturing the madness,it’s going to be a PG at the very least 6:59 AM May 2nd via txt
10. No-one told the sat nav about the pedestrianisation of norwich city centre,round and round we go 8:50 AM May 2nd via txt
11. Good times in norwich! Thanks Luke,Roz,Russ and all for great gig,food and fun. Averaging 25mph in bank hol traffic to bristol now. Move! 8:15 AM May 3rd via txt
12. Sun,fry-ups and lavatory maintenance in bristol,and another great gig! Thanks to Pull the Strings&County sports bar,the brudenell of bristol 4:35 AM May 4th via txt
13. Getting tanked up on rissotto in a gastro pub,most unprecedented,people are inhaling champagne-it’s not where the gig’s happening by the way 1:34 PM May 4th via txt
14. Every day’s like Saturday,you forget people have to work.Thanks all who came to ferocious Boston Arms gig and get less bad soon Dave Bad Guy 6:33 PM May 4th via txt
15. Been out getting some of that nature sh!t at solsey forest tree top walk,before descending into the dystopic urban hell that is Cambridge 7:04 AM May 5th via txt
16. Downtown Cambridge,a menacing place if ever there was. Sightseeing 2mro,hope to spot roger waters’ old bass in a skip. Cheers Dan! 6:25 PM May 5th via txt
17. QQ on way to seaside,playing at Greenhouse Effect Brighton,well Hove actually.Farewell roadkill-strewn cycleways of Cambridge,it’s been ace 5:05 AM May 6th via txt
18. Blinding Brighton gig last night with I’m Being Good &Fat Bicth,blown away by both, raised the game&QQ played so hard that my specs fell off 2:53 AM May 7th via txt
19. Hoping for a bit of beach action before going to Reading,could do with freshening up,clothes becoming audible. Hove has ‘turned blue’,shame 5:14 AM May 7th via txt
20. No beach for us today,instead the pecking M25 and some stop-start traffic jam nonsense. A spot of blue jacking i think 7:59 AM May 7th via txt
21. Been failing to record the gigs,Wednesday hit wrong switch&got pure distortion &last night simply forgot to press record. 3rd time lucky..? 8:19 AM May 7th via txt
22. Last ‘away’ gig done,a stormer at South St Arts in Reading,thanks Mark&DoubleDotDash for great time. Chinchilla bearded homecoming now, rah! 2:39 AM May 8th via
23. Leaving Reading after fried breakfast #9 feeling good for nothing&glad Moz is up for driving.Farewell to Bob&camera,good luck with the edit! 5:25 AM May 8th via txt
24. The tour is over! Great time at chinchillafest,a bag of records to listen to,a list of films&desire for fresh air&daylight now. Thanks all! 5:58 PM May 8th via tx

You can preorder the CD from the Cuckundoo store here:
http://www.cuckundoorecords.com/shop.html

And Amazon

And here are some early reviews of the album:
Leeds Guide 5/5 Album Of The Fortnight
Whisperin & Hollerin 9/10

More reviews can be found on our REVIEWS page

We are having a great time on tour. After our gig in Bristol tonight these are the remaining dates. More info on our ON TOUR page.

Tuesday 4 May – Boston Arms, London
Wednesday 5 May – Portland Arms, Cambridge
Thursday 6 May – The Greenhouse Effect, Brighton
Friday 7 May – South Street Arts Centre, Reading
Saturday 8 May – Chinchilla Fest, Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

Quack Quack (L-R Stu, Moz, Neil)

We are really excited to be heading to Preston on Thursday 29th April to kick start our album launch tour that will take us all over England and Scotland.

Check out the On Tour page for all the dates, venues and links for the tour.

We will have some (wonky) pre-release copies of the album for sale on the tour, so don’t forget to come and meet our suitcase after the gig!

We are visiting Preston, Glasgow, Derby, Norwich, Bristol, London, Cambridge, Brighton, Reading and Leeds.

More gigs in other cities will be coming soon!

If you can’t wait that long you can listen to our debut single D Motherfucker D on Soundcloud…

Quack Quack – D Motherfucker D by cuckundoo

Quack Quack (L-R) Moz, Stu and Neil Photo by Sophie McIntosh

Visit our Myspace to listen to tracks including the new single ‘D Motherfucker D’.

A new album is being released in May on Cuckundoo Records.

To buy our EP and 7″ single visit Run of the Mill Records’ Myspace.