10"

Artists: GIRAFFES? GIRAFFES! and Goddard

Release Date: April 30, 2013

Label: Boiler Room Records

10” is a split featuring one track from math-rock duo GIRAFFES? GIRAFFES!, and two from the genre-blending group Goddard. The first song, “In the Middle of the Night Someone Tore Off the Ceiling and Sucked Me Into the Sky / Before My Eyes Began to Boil I Saw Billions of Tiny Webs Connecting Everything” is a ten minute tour through headspaces ranging from acrobatic upbeat punk, to desolate reverb-washed riffing. At times, it seems like there were too many ideas for any one section to truly grow but, as an overall piece, the pacing was good, with satisfying transitions from foreboding to exuberance or quiet to chaos. The sheer volume of ideas and the ability of the band to transition between them with ease are impressive, but at no point is instrumental athleticism the focus. In a style that’s been known to put complexity above all else, “In The Middle of the Night” is noteworthy because GIRAFFES? GIRAFFES! use their extreme instrumental talent only to develop the track to its fullest potential.

Goddard presents an interesting mix of musical styles. They sit on the mathier side of post-punk, and two versatile vocalists help keep their songs interesting throughout. On “Midwest 95”, a light opening and sarcastically vivid lyrics take a sudden detour into a half-time jam and repetitive, building shouts. “Thrush” has a similar quality, with a dark, brooding section suddenly becoming completely undone. In both songs, there’s a lack of buildup to the more intense sections, and they feel a little awkward in context. However, the abruptness isn’t enough to take away from the atmosphere of the songs, and in some ways adds the aggressive energy. Like their partners on the split, Goddard know their ways around their instruments, and use this to flesh out far more than two tracks worth of ideas. 10” is, by its nature, a release that will be appreciated by lovers of the rhythmically complex, but it’s never bogged down by the talent of its musicians and it has a wealth of content and a high replay value that anyone will appreciate.

-Alex D'Alfonso

Track Review: "Titan"

Artist: The Physics House Band
Release Date: April 15, 2013
Label: Blood and Biscuits



"Titan" is the lead single from The Physics House Band's forthcoming release Horizons/Rapture due out April 15th. The track highlights the band's chaotic energy right from the beginning with a series of group hits. These hits are followed by occasional notes played on piano or guitar, which act as sparks after a sonic explosion. Musicianship shines here; the group hits are tight, and are soon followed by impressively complex drum beats. The production is great in that every instrument has it's own space, and everything can be heard if you're listening for it. At around a minute and a half, it takes a sudden turn which takes a lot of energy out of the song. Thankfully it's not a long section and within about 30 seconds, the listener is engaged in the track’s original chaotic feel. The mix of synthesizer tones and guitar is not only well done, but balanced. Neither one overpowers the other. "Titan" is comparable to a splatter paint piece, one where all the colors land in just the right places to compliment each other. The Physics House Band reminds me of an intoxicatingly brightly colored Godspeed You! Black Emperor song on this track, stylistically and emotionally. After hearing this, I'm now anticipating a lot from Horizons/Rapture.

-Owen Bolas