On the 13-track
Boredom and Terror
, Seattle's
the Intelligence
are able to resonate an intriguing mix of passion, unease, and spirited crash-and-burn energy to create a captivating disc from beginning to end. Starting with the piano/organ/drums/bass fuzz of
"The World Is a Drag,"
singer
Lars Finberg
flaunts brash vocals with a flair for the dramatic, which continue on the dizzying
"The New Kings and Queens of Musical History."
By now, listeners should know they are in for something dramatically different. More than merely
avant-garde
,
Finberg
changes the music's pace throughout, from the cool swagger of
"Telephone Wires"
to the rollicking upheaval of
"Guys."
The title track is a pieced-together
new wave
puzzle, featuring alternating spastic vocals from
, who clearly takes influence from musicians from all over the musical map.
"Weekends in Jail"
closes out the disc with spectacular singalong grace, glowing with texture that sounds wildly unique, yet oddly familiar. While
performs as the chaotic drummer of
the A-Frames
, here he's completely in control, offering up offbeat lyrics while conducting the swirling and suspenseful instrumentation. Joined by members of
Pyramids
, and
Thee Flying Dutchmen
and company impress on
with their creative bravado and rousing execution. California's
Omnibus Records
released the disc in early 2004. ~ Stephen Cramer