The old adage that you should never judge a book by its cover is equally true when applied to CD packaging, Tranny Fluid’s ‘Dub Heavy Grooves’ providing the latest case in point. From a cursory glance at the cover and inlay you’d be forgiven for thinking it might be some kind of parody or comedy CD. As though the band name itself wasn’t some sort of giant hint, right? I’m going to err on the side of civility here and suggest that the fluid in question is in fact transmission fluid, rather than any, er, other type, of fluid. But the jury may remain out on that one. And so that cover glares back, blindingly, resplendent in its garish shade of purple, with an illustration of a leather clad woman on a racing motorbike turning to face us. You’ll examine the liner notes to discover it’s an EP by a three-piece band consisting of protagonists named Rick Von Sleaze, Sean 007 and David ‘Gibbo’. Yep, it is a parody, it has to be. Well, it is, right up until the moment you press Play and are hit with huge slabs of bass and bluesy guitar on the opener Golden Triangle, which turns out to be the high point of the five tracks on offer. By some distance. And it’s far from humorous. These guys are deadly serious and this is hard edged stuff. These are indeed dub heavy grooves, with emphasis on the heavy, rather than the dub. And a bit of riffing thrown in. It’s a post-rock thing perhaps? With something not too far removed from throat singing – if that’s what it is – but mercifully, on just a couple of tracks. The rest are instrumental. Someone will no doubt see the funny side. Someone with a better sense of humour than this clearly baffled reviewer.