Picking up where their self-titled EP (recorded as
AM Radio
) left off,
Icewater Scandal
's
No Handle
delivers a more confident and versatile version of their lanky
experimental rock
. The band make a bold move in opening and closing the album with their two most challenging tracks:
"Klat"
is high-strung and angular, recalling a more elongated
Erase Errata
or
Sonic Youth
(along with the
Dream Syndicate
and
Dead C
references); the fact that
Lee Ranaldo
mixed and recorded
underscores the connections between that band and
's approaches (or at least makes them easier to hear). The pretty finale,
"See Saw,"
meanwhile, tops out at 18 and a half minutes -- much like the epic closing track of
,
"Beezwax."
The track picks up speed as it goes along, and over the course of its length cycles between being just repetitive and fascinating. In between,
tackle slightly more accessible territory, like
"Muddy Blue,"
which, with its wobbly rhythms, chiming guitars, and absurdist lyrics, comes close to approximating the sound of
Pavement
with a female singer instead of
Stephen Malkmus
.
Andrea Hansen
deserves special mention as the glue that helps hold all of
's twists and turns together; she's a surprisingly versatile singer, able to switch from fierce to alluring to contemplative in an eye blink. For the most part, the band make their jammier-sounding music interesting throughout, particularly on the near
stoner
rock
of
"Shiny Gold,"
but at other times it seems that
should either do more with their expansive style or cut their songs short. As enjoyable as
"Banana Ssplat"
is, it probably didn't need to be over nine minutes long. Nevertheless,
does flesh out
's sound impressively, mixing brains and brawn into a sound that is both catchy and complex. ~ Heather Phares