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There is something subtly addictive about Despistado. Hard
to put a finger on, they just exist to create interesting music that
thumbs its nose at convention to become original in every meaning
of the word.
The music reminds me of Single Frame Ashtray, devoid of preconception,
but upbeat and filled with counter-intuitive rhythmical variations
that surprise me every time I listen. The drums cover a lot of ground
adding the appropriate feel for each song and throwing in these random
change-ups during the course of the main lines that keep things from
going stale. The guitars and bass literally frolic around each other
like they don't care, but make the songs all the more vivid for their
contrasting natures; "If Relationships..." is a prime example
of the interchangeability of all these players that provides a more
robust song than its parts for their interplay. The vocals set rhythmical
tones that force you to listen as you try to figure out which way
they go next. Overall the structuring of these songs is just simply
brilliant, as changes that are the same are never the same, as different
instruments swap emphasis to keep things interesting.
The production attempts the impossible by trying to successfully
capture this epileptic melee onto a record. It halfway succeeds by
helping the changes along and giving the vocals and backing of adequate
personality. Vocals use a nice mix of chorus at certain points, while
smartly using double vocals for others, and finally bringing backing
in for both intuitive and counter-intuitive lines that elevate things
nicely. But from a production standpoint the rest of the instruments
suffer from a one-level mind frame, such that sound effects vary little
across the album. Rare cases of when these coincide with changes such
as in "Magnetic Streetlights" do the guitars sound different.
So I know it's a nit, but for as original as the band sounds, the
instruments should have the same feel.
This is just an awesome record, which shows a very intelligent
band at work.
-bishop
Track Listing:
1. Burning House
2. The Memory Of This History
3. Victim
4. If Relationships A Construct, Then I'm A Construction Worker
5. The People Of And Their Verses
6. Plants
7. Magnetic Streetlights
8. This Neighbourhood
9. Test Tube
10. Broken
11. Who Do You Choose
12. My Definition of Tragedy
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