?Unfit For These Times Forever? is officially Kanipchen-Fit?s second album, after 2010?s ?Multibenefit? but for the band in its present incarnation, it is a new departure. The addition of real drums, expertly played by Frank Sloos, complements the sound they have been searching for.
At the end of 2011, Kanipchen-Fit permanently relocated from New York to Amsterdam-East. On ?Unfit For These Times Forever? their escape from New York plays a central role in the first song ?Fight?. One of the reasons for leaving was an unfortunate encounter with the famously incompetent, violent New York police, which is supported at all times by a corrupt and racist court system. Other subjects include: the human inclination to return to the Middle Ages (?Middle Ages?), or different forms of identity and problems of perception in the eyes of others (?Residue?, ?Today I Go As Myself?). In ?Opening Ceremony? the first line of the Internationale: ?Wake up, wretched of the earth!? pops up. These wretched are Unfit For These Times Forever, the ?huddled masses? the Statue of Liberty (?How To Display The Flag?) claims to welcome. But they will not be beaten down, if only by singing out loud, their own song, an international anthem for those who might not make it, but have to keep going, against the odds (?Unfit?).
For the cover-art of both the double 7-inch and the CD Kanipchen-Fit uses one of Gloria?s pieces called ?Life Saver?. It is part of a series of artworks made from playing cards, that recreate objects which could decide life or death, but are rendered useless by the nature of its main component.
Since 2015 Kanipchen-Fit is Gloria (vocals), Empee Holwerda (guitar + vocals) and Frank Sloos (drums). Gloria has a history in the legendary, all-female group of performance-based New York poets called the Pussy Poets. Empee arrives from the noisy punk-wave of Lul, through new-wavy post-postrock of Solbakken, to his current bluesy rock-grooves. Frank is probably best known for his fancy surf-rhythms in the Treble Spankers, and straight forward punk-tightness in Big Paulus.
Inescapably Kanipchen-Fit generates energy, the beat takes over and the adrenalin kicks in, moving and shaking seems inevitable. Probably because they mix the grooving drums with bass heavy rock-guitar and two powerful vocals, it becomes an energy they themselves find difficult to control.
Tracks:
1. Fight 3:30
2. Today I Go as Myself 2:39
3. How to Display the Flag 2:20
4. Middle Ages 4:15
5. Residue 2:18
6. Opening Ceremony 3:23
7. Unfit 5:03
