Minus Story
rock the
lo-fi
, psychedelic
indie rock
on their third release,
The Captain Is Dead, Let the Drum Corpse Dance
, out on
Jagjaguwar
. To say that the record is completely
is not entirely correct;
seem to be experimenting in the studios of
The Ministry of Love
in Lawrence, KS, and
The Christus House & the Shop
in Boonville, MO. This record is a mix of
and high production elements that make up a psychedelic '60s sound that reminds of projects from the
Elephant 6
collective such as
Olivia Tremor Control
,
Circulatory System
, or
Of Montreal
.
"The Happy Activist"
rocks a raw indie
punk
that rises above as a highlight out of the record and drives along with confidence and heat behind the beat, while maintaining a groove and a warble to keep it trippy. Throughout
many instruments build up lush layers to enhance the epic nature of the record as a whole -- pianos twinkle, big drums pulse, and backward guitars swirl, rooting
to the likes of '60s
psychedelic pop
Smile
-era
Beach Boys
, and modern influences like
the Flaming Lips
. There definitely exists a fog on top on this record --
switch out of the clean production to the haze and back within the different layers.
"Joyless, Joyless"
seems to be a good example of this
new wave
, angular vibe with a lingering haze over the
Gang of Four
spirits and then out to the clean hook. When it seems like you may be reaching clarity, the fog comes back in the form of a processed bass, affected keyboard to enhance the melody carried by the vocals, or a reverbed snare or bass drum.
has something for everyone -- especially, if you want to let loose and let your mind wander to the drug of
. ~ Francis Arres