by El Jugador
Released: 2002
Recorded at Planet Groucho Studios and NYB Studios.
All songs written and performed by El Jugador & Friends (inc. All Time High and Speech Therapy).
Engineered and produced by Ray McCartney.
The stand-out effort of the week is Operation Immigration by El Jugador although at 30 tracks it's more of an opus than a demo. It's an astonishingly diverse, stream of consciousness outpouring from the deeply odd mind of Sir Fred. Think Galliano meets Arab Strap at a Beck gig to form a Flaming Lips tribute band and you'll only have half of this bizarre but enchanting blend of scuzzy hip hop.
It's like listening to a great party through a wall. Prolific, ramshackle and something approaching genius at the very least a career in movie soundtracking must be an option.
- Catriona Killin, Daily Record (November 21, 2003)