Gapeseed

Lo Cell (Silver Girl)
by Joe Hacking

Some bands, like Tool, purge their feelings of alienation from society with angry lyrics and music. New York’s Gapeseed, like Sonic Youth, use protracted rhythms and discordant fuzz-drenched audio clips and vocals. The tempo of the songs on Lo Cell are usually hectic and halting, full of peaks and valleys, capturing the very essence of alienation. It’s a sonic assurance that you are not the only one who feels estranged.

Some of the stuff on Lo Cell is downright grating. But underlying each scratchy, Sonic Youth-influenced anthem pulses the life-force and emotion of the three musicians. The song “Magister Dixit,” sounds totally fucked up, and “1:59” is even more fucked up, sporting record scratches and an out-of-tune guitar. Then there’s the more “accessible” stuff like “Grifting Ballistic.” Gapeseed’s Lo Cell makes for an entertaining and interesting listen. And they’ve got the coolest art on the actual CD since Dick’s Picks.