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I found some time in my busy schedule of listening to Living
in Oblivion (the 80’s collection with such hits as Bow
Wow Wow’s "C30, C60, C90, GO!") and watching Patrick
Dempsey movies (Loverboy being the greatest) on
late night television to review this EP from DC based Threshner.
I don’t know what or who a Threshner is, but by the title
of this Extended Play CD, I am led to believe it some made-up
"apparatus." Clever…or is it, it’s hard to tell with these
new rock band names. God Speed You Black Emperor, now
that is a fabulous band name, yes?
The songs are about two minutes long each of a dude singing
about falling in love and then not. "Very original," says
this guy typing this to you in a sarcastic tone, but without
malice mind you. It’s low-key blank rock. Blank in that it
could be pop or indie or Brit--I really can’t tell. At least
that is something to be said. It is hard to categorize--usually
a great bonus, here a complete apathetic ambiguity. On track
3, "Baby," they steal half of the riff to the Who’s
"Can’t Explain." That is a common thing to do for people who
like to brag that they make "two-chord rock." Actually the
promo sheet that was sent with their CD sums up their sound
hilariously, as half of the stuff is complete lies (to their
credit, I believe it was made ironic on purpose, a novel idea).
Shall I just reprint some of it here for your perusal? O-kay.
"Here’s the first release from indie-pop outfit Threshner,
a five-song EP betraying a total lack of marketable consistency,
so you may as well toss it now. Tracks range from two-chord
rock (ok, more than two) to fake 60’s pop with Tropicalia
lyrics to a fairly catchy drum-loop-and-guitar-ditty with
background issues and three-part harmony. This EP was recorded
with nothing but the finest professional equipment but management
felt "indie credibility" was lacking, so no expense was spared
to make it sound like it was done in a living room with two
mics and a computer."
Listening to this is like eating a toaster pastry for breakfast
which you have not had time to fully toast because you are
late to class but starving for nourishment in the frosting
and sugary filling. It could be much better, not quite fulfilling
its junk food destiny. Believe the hype, "toss it now." I
have nothing witty or descriptive left to say about Threshner,
just that I wouldn’t listen to this instead of Katrina
and the Waves or Wall of Voodoo or Haircut 100
or even Echo and the Bunnymen. Three undertoasted poptarts
out of five.
- Joseph Martinez
Track Listing:
- Sun Time
- (Like A) Hole In The Ground
- Baby
- Just The Usual Noises Around Here
- London Song (Mastroianni mix)
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