Mucca Pazza’s Safety Fifth is a delightful combination of spunky brass instruments and punk rock attitude is ideal revenge for band nerds everywhere.
The self-described “30-piece Circus Punk Marching band” got their start in Chicago, Illinois, among the scrap yards by the Chicago River, bonding over shared eccentricities and passion for the marching band. Mucca Pazza consists of a quirky mix of instruments which produce a non-classifiable sound, existing somewhere between a typical high school marching band and next-generation punk.
The band melds genres, incorporating orchestral original compositions with playful re-workings of classic television themes on Safety Fifth . If anything, Mucca Pazza is intent on pushing the envelope of traditional brass sound.
Safety Fifth is Mucca Pazza’s first studio album, produced by Electric Cowbell Records. The album includes 15 tracks, 13 original songs and 2 remixes. The songs are relatively short in length, ranging from a mere 46 seconds to 4 minutes and 44 seconds, but pack a punch, bursting forth with enthusiasm and soul.
Mucca Pazza’s motley crew of musicians produces energetic and fresh songs. A personal favorite is the spirited first track on the album, “Boss Taurus,” which introduces the listener to the band members’ unconventional take on a brass band by throwing in bass and drums. The fast, loud song is irresistible to those of us with dancing feet, compelling the listener to get up and groove. “Sexy Bull” is another favorite, and a perfect example of Mucca Pazza’s abstract view on musical genres, incorporating familiar Latin sounds with guitar riffs.
Overall, Mucca Pazza produces an album that is fun, raw, and delightfully unorthodox. Safety Fifth is a fantastic listen for those captivated by untamed enthusiasm and idiosyncratic brash brass.
Here is Mucca Pazza’s official music video to their upbeat “Boss Taurus.”