IfIHadAHiFi
No
More Music (2004, Contraphonic)
Since
the dawn of their brilliant creation, bands like Sonic Youth have
cut out a cozy niche for themselves and their indie-noise-rock brethren.
The music is invigorating and innovative enough to attract a decent
crowd, but at the same time off-kilter enough to ward off everyone
but the most loyal of music geeks.
Throughout time though, the formula was tinkered
with to an extreme (see: Butthole Surfers, Boredoms) and then tinkered
with to the other extreme (see: Most alterna-grunge on indie labels
in the early-90s). Then a balance was struck somewhere in the middle
and the Dismemberment Plan was formed. IfIHadAHiFi also lean somewhere
in that middle territory (though admittedly not quite that accessible
or straightfoward), and with an emphasis on spazzy vocals and grinding
synth work.
'(The
HiFi Vs.) Potential Energy' tells you what it's all about.
The pulsating drums will have you shaking your shins whether you
want to or not, the second-hand keyboards pumped way past their
intended volume will urge you head and shoulders into a synchronized
flail, and the rough-hewn guitars simply add an enjoyable racket
so your blood stays nice and boiled. Buried deep in there somewhere,
peeking out from behind a feedback corner, is a hook.
'Chance-Medley'
offers even more intense punked up noise, and like 'Gotta Disappear',
it plays like a track that can't wait to end to get onto the
next. It's like an adrenaline rush that runs out quick simply to
get to the next adrenaline rush. When they play 'We Need This Noise
To Live' you don't doubt their sincerity.
Every
tune here is an exercise in insanity and adventure. One minute you've
got a deafening barrage of screams and fuzz, the next you're abducted
by sci-fi sounds and the traditional-but-still effective post-punk
warble.
The
disc ends with a killer one-two kick in the ass: The title track
gives the audio version of a Radio 4 and Jesus Lizard mutation.
Very cool. The closer is a cover of Stevie Wonder's 'Uptight
(Everything's Alright)' which is as linear as the band gets
but still packs a unique sonic punch that, whether intended to or
not, leads perfectly back into the leadoff song (Yes I've
been listening to this on repeat).
You'll
either be utterly confused by IfIHadAHiFi or you'll rock your fucking
pants off. I'll be doing both.
-Mark
Hughson 7/10/05
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