by Skip Jansen
An extraordinary group from the '80s underground punk scene, Dog Faced Hermans' work parallels their Dutch counterparts, the Ex , and they draw their sound from a great degree of ingenuity, taking their inspiration from Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band , Au Pairs , and the Slits . Their sound is explosive, funky, and accomplished -- at moments as delicate and improvisational as Sonic Youth , at others as hard as Gang of Four or the Pop Group . Melodies can sound almost folky in parts and, in fact, this album features an extraordinary rendering of "John Henry" wedged between two of their standouts: "Binding System" and "Beautiful." Fans of the proto-punk sound of groups such Crass , the Ex , and Kletka Red -- who expand the punk rock pallet to incorporate the approaches of free improvisation, avant rock, folk, and even psychedelia -- should check out this exceptionally innovative group. Needless to say, Humans Fly is a great album, though the uninitiated are advised to check out the outstanding Those Deep Buds , which appeared in the '90s on Jello Biafra 's Alternative Tentacles label.